EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Germany displayed plenty of attacking intent but were severely lacking in defensive stability in their final World Cup group stage encounter, succumbing 2-1 to a determined Ecuador side. Julian Nagelsmann’s men took an early lead through Leroy Sane but conceded twice without finding a meaningful response. They still finished top of their group, though their performance left much to be desired heading into the knockout rounds.

Germany began the match with great energy — and a slice of fortune. Alex Pavlovic won the ball following a throw-in but accidentally caught Pedro Vite in the face while attempting to clear. Florian Wirtz collected the loose ball and set up Sane, who finished clinically. Despite strong protests from Ecuador’s players, the goal was allowed to stand.

“When you start a game well and take the lead, you must remain focused on the spaces. Today, after scoring, we lost control a little,” Nagelsmann admitted after the match.

Ecuador quickly regrouped and equalised through Nilson Angulo, who struck a precise shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards — their first goal of the tournament. The rest of the first half turned scrappy, full of challenges and intent but short on quality chances at either end.

“It was challenging to adjust to Ecuador’s pressing,” added Nagelsmann.

The second half exploded into action. Within half a minute, Kai Havertz appeared to have earned a penalty after being brought down inside the box, but the referee ruled it out due to an earlier foul in the build-up. From there, Germany’s control unraveled. Ecuador, needing a win to progress, pressed relentlessly, urged on by a largely pro-Ecuador crowd that injected energy into the contest.

“After the half-time break, we couldn’t rediscover our rhythm, even though we tried our best. Had this been the knockout stage, we might have made some tactical changes,” Nagelsmann reflected.

Ecuador’s second goal was the result of pure determination. Kevin Rodriguez outjumped Jonathan Tah, while Gonzalo Plata stretched just far enough to prod the ball past Manuel Neuer, sending the Ecuadorian fans into rapture.

“This is what life teaches — how to endure, to have faith, belief, calmness, and confidence. In adversity, we have always shown composure. We had a clear plan,” said Ecuador manager Sebastian Beccacece, who sprinted down the touchline to celebrate the goal.

Germany pushed for an equaliser, but with most of their starters already substituted, the replacements failed to make a real impact — plenty of effort, but little creativity.

Although the result did not affect Germany’s position in the group, the team selection and ambition suggested they wanted the win, making the defeat more frustrating.

“Losing is never pleasant, even when the group’s top spot is secure. We’ll take the lessons and move forward,” Nagelsmann concluded.

Here are the player ratings from Germany’s performance at the New York/New Jersey Stadium:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Manuel Neuer (5/10): Could do little about Ecuador’s first goal but reacted too slowly for their second.

Joshua Kimmich (7/10): Delivered several excellent passes from deep before being substituted after an hour to preserve him for the knockouts.

Antonio Rudiger (6/10): Produced some trademark last-ditch tackles but was inconsistent with his distribution. After missing multiple matches for Real Madrid last season, his lack of sharpness showed.

Jonathan Tah (6/10): A mixed performance. Made key blocks in the second half but lacked understanding with his goalkeeper on occasions.

David Raum (6/10): Maintained width and discipline on his flank. Neither of Ecuador’s goals came from his side.

Midfield

Felix Nmecha (5/10): Worked hard and made some timely tackles but lost possession before Ecuador’s equaliser.

Alex Pavlovic (5/10): Fortunate not to have his foul punished before Germany’s opener. Otherwise quiet and withdrawn at half-time.

Jamal Musiala (6/10): Started slowly but grew into the game, holding the ball well and battling in midfield when necessary.

Attack

Leroy Sane (8/10): Took his goal superbly and contributed defensively when required, helping in a back-five shape at times. Still influential, even if not at his peak.

Kai Havertz (5/10): Offered little threat up front. Failed to link play effectively and endured a poor 60 minutes.

Florian Wirtz (7/10): Provided a neat assist for Sane and created some chances, though he occasionally lost control in possession.

Substitutes & Manager

Angelo Stiller (7/10): Replaced Pavlovic at the interval and added more composure to midfield.

Malick Thiaw (5/10): Introduced to reinforce the backline but failed to make it more secure.

Denis Undav (6/10): Came on after an hour and had one half-chance late in the game but couldn’t convert.

Max Beier (5/10): Struggled to get involved after coming on, barely touching the ball.

Pascal Gross (N/A): Entered too late to influence proceedings.

Julian Nagelsmann (5/10): Fielded a strong starting XI despite already securing group leadership. His team’s lack of control and failure to respond raise questions before the knockout rounds.