Ecuador Stun Germany, South Africa Make History, and Mexico Go Perfect

A rich day of World Cup football produced several results that will be remembered long after the group stage is over. The headline act came in New Jersey, where Ecuador recovered from a goal down to beat Germany 2-1 — Nilson Angulo and Gonzalo Plata turning Leroy Sané's early opener into a famous comeback victory. Germany advance, but arrive in the knockout rounds having lost their final group game to one of South America's less-fancied sides, a result that will follow them. In the same group, Ivory Coast made history of their own, with Nicolas Pépé scoring both goals in a 2-0 win over Curaçao that sends them into the last 32 for the first time in their history.

Elsewhere, South Africa wrote their own chapter, Thapelo Maseko's 63rd-minute goal earning a 1-0 win over a South Korea side whose coach had controversially dropped captain Son Heung-min — the first time since 2010 Son had not started a World Cup match. The gamble did not pay off. South Africa reach the knockout rounds for the first time ever. Brazil, meanwhile, were efficient and commanding, with Vinícius Júnior inspiring a 3-0 dismantling of Scotland, while Mexico capped a perfect group stage — a first in their history — with a 3-0 win over Czechia.

Off the pitch, Arsenal confirmed the permanent signing of Piero Hincapié from Bayer Leverkusen for £34.5m, and Newcastle United were formally named on HMRC's list of deliberate tax defaulters following a near decade-long investigation into transfers made under former owner Mike Ashley.