An increasingly desperate Ecuador have stunned Germany 2-1 to drag their World Cup campaign out of the flames and qualify for a place in the last 32. And in another game, Ivory Coast recorded 2-0 victory over Curacao.
Needing a win — or a miracle — to keep their hopes alive, the South Americans suffered the worst possible start when already-qualified Germany struck in the second minute, with Leroy Sane brilliantly opening his account at a major international tournament in his 15th appearance at one.
Ecuador had failed to score in this tournament despite 39 previous attempts, but finally broke their duck with their 40th shot when Nilson Angulo curled the ball beyond Manuel Neuer to spark wild celebrations among the sea of yellow in the stands.
Gonzalo Plata then bundled home the winner with 13 minutes remaining to put Ecuador in the knockout rounds.
Ecuador finished third in the group with four points and advanced past the group stage for the second time, the first since a round of 16 game in 2002.
Ivory Coast vs Curacao
In the other game of the group, Ivory Coast got goals from Nicolas Pepe in each half and advanced to the World Cup knockout round for the first time in the West African team's history with a 2-0 victory over Curacao on Thursday.
Les Elephants have crashed the party and made it out of their group for the first time in four World Cup appearances.
Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 in its tournament opener — at the same Philadelphia stadium as Thursday's game — and lost to Germany in its Group E second game.
Ivory Coast will play June 30 against either France or Norway — whichever is the runner-up in Group I.
Curacao needed to win and instead failed to become the smallest nation to qualify for the knockout stages.
