It was a fast start for Germany. And it came from a bit of luck, too. Alex Pavlovic won the ball off a throw-in, but clipped Pedro Vite's face in his kicking motion. Florian Wirtz picked up the loose ball and fed Sane, who fired home. Despite extensive protestations from Ecuador, the goal stood.
But Ecuador fought back. They knotted the game at 1-1 after Nilson Angulo fired into the bottom corner from 20 yards out - the South American nation's first goal of the tournament. The rest of the first half disintegrated into a sort of slog: lots of tackles, lots of intent, but few actual chances.
The second sprang into life. Within 30 seconds, Germany thought they had a penalty when Kai Havertz was scythed down in the box. But the referee pulled it back due to a foul in the buildup. And then it all went wrong. When Germany looked to find a foothold, Ecuador swarmed. They needed a win to make it into the knockouts here, and their second-half performance suggested as much. A largely pro-Ecuador crowd bounced for the final 45 minutes, and the team responded in turn.
Their second goal, in fact, was effectively willed into the net. Kevin Rodriguez jumped a little bit higher than Jonathan Tah. Gonzalo Plata stretched a little bit further than Manuel Neuer, and poked the ball into the net - sending what felt like his entire nation swarming down the sideline. Germany chased the game in return, but Nagelsmann had rotated most of his starters by that point. And the bench was largely ineffective - full of intent but lacking in ideas.
This was not a game that needed winning. Yet the selection, setup, and drive suggested that Nagelsmann's side wanted three points here. Perhaps that makes this loss sting just a little.
GOAL rates Germany's players from New York/New Jersey Stadium...
