Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast: Deniz Undav double seals World Cup knockout spot
Substitute Deniz Undav scored twice in the second half, including a 94th-minute winner, as Germany fought back to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 and reach the World Cup last 32.
Substitute Deniz Undav was the hero as Germany came from behind to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast at Toronto Stadium, booking their place in the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since 2014.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side dominated early possession but faced persistent frustration as the African giants stood firm and threatened on the break. Germany thought they had taken the lead when Aleksandar Pavlovic forced the ball home from a corner, but the effort was ruled out for a foul on Ivorian goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.
Moments later, it was Ivory Coast who broke the deadlock. Teenage winger Yan Diomande beat Joshua Kimmich down the left flank before delivering a menacing low cross. While Amad Diallo’s initial effort was blocked, captain Franck Kessie reacted sharpest to drill the rebound past Manuel Neuer, who was making history with his 21st World Cup appearance.
Germany’s frustrations compounded before the interval when Kai Havertz found the net, only for VAR to intervene and disallow the goal due to a foul by Jamal Musiala in the build-up.
With their qualification hopes hanging in the balance, Nagelsmann turned to his bench on the hour mark, introducing Nadiem Amiri and Undav. The tactical gamble reaped immediate rewards. In the 68th minute, Amiri turned provider, delivering an exquisite cross that Undav calmly volleyed past Fofana to restore parity.
The final ten minutes descended into chaotic drama as both sides pushed aggressively for a winner. Ivory Coast squandered a golden opportunity to snatch victory in the 88th minute when Nicolas Pepe played an unmarked Simon Adingra into the box, but the forward took too many touches and allowed the German defense to recover.
Les Elephants were brutally punished for the miss deep into stoppage time. In the 94th minute, Felix Nmecha thread an inch-perfect pass to Undav inside the penalty area. The Stuttgart striker settled the ball with his first touch, spun brilliantly, and fired an instinctive finish into the bottom corner to trigger wild celebrations among the traveling German support.
The result leaves Germany sitting clear at the top of Group E with six points, safely through to the Round of 32 ahead of their final group stage fixture against Ecuador. Despite the heartbreak, Ivory Coast remain firmly in contention for the knockouts, needing a positive result against Curacao to progress.
