Beccacece hails Ecuador's biggest World Cup victory

Ecuador coach Sebastian Beccacece said all Ecuadoreans have a lot to celebrate on Thursday after the country's biggest World Cup result ever, coming from behind to beat Germany 2-1 and advance to the knockout stage.

"It is the biggest victory for Ecuador in a World Cup. We worked for that, we came with the dream of making Ecuador's best cup ever, and now we did," he added.

Beccacece praised the players for raising their game and overcoming their disappointing opening games, when Ecuador lost to Ivory Coast and then drew 0-0 against tournament debutants Curacao.

He told reporters that no changes were made to the team's style of play.

"We kept the tranquillity. We kept the exact same idea of how to play," he said, adding that he didn't think the squad deserved the previous results.

"Football is like that: one day you win, the other day you lose. We were not in the hell before, neither I think we are in the heaven now. The important thing is the balance.

"I don't think we were better than Curacao, neither we felt we were less than Germany. We will keep going, with humility, with prudence."

Nicolas Pepe’s double sealed Ivory Coast’s first trip to the World Cup elimination rounds with a 2-0 victory over Curacao to finish second in Group E.

For manager Emerse Fae, the feat ends a wait of 20 years since he was an unused substitute for the first Ivory Coast side to reach the World Cup.

"My message would be enjoy this historic qualification, celebrate it," Fae said of his wishes for his countrymen, through an interpreter.

"And once we are done celebrating, please continue sending us positive vibes and praying for us and encouraging us so we can go as far as possible in this tournament."

Curacao became the eighth team eliminated from the tournament, a fate that arrived later than many anticipated after the Caribbean country became the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup finals.

Ivory Coast were third in their group in their three previous World Cup appearances from 2006 to 2014 and will face the second-place team in Group I, France or Norway, on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.