- Germany vs Ivory Coast: Deniz Undav scored twice off the bench to help Germany edge out Cote d’Ivoire and go through to the World Cup knockout stage.
- Undav scored both goals in the second half, including a winner at the death, to ensure Franck Kessié’s first-half goal was not enough for the Ivorians.
- The Group E match was staged at the Toronto Stadium on Saturday, June 20.
Deniz Undav came off the bench to score twice in the second half as Germany fought back from behind to beat a resilient Ivory Coast side 2-1 at the death and punch their ticket into the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage.
It was a frustrating first half for Germany at Toronto stadium, who came into the match fresh from a commanding 7-1 victory in their opener, while it was all smiles for Ivory Coast, who went into the break with a one-goal advantage.
The breakthrough came from a swift counterattack that saw Franck Kessie fire his side ahead from inside the box after a brilliant piece of wing play from the highly-rated Yan Diomande.
The 19-year-old beat his marker on the left before drilling a dangerous ball into the area, where Kessie was on hand to slam home after Amad Diallo’s initial effort had been blocked.
The rebound fell kindly to the midfielder, who made no mistake in finding the back of the net just a minute before the half-hour mark.
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As Germany continued to probe Ivory Coast’s disciplined defence, they thought they had drawn level when Kai Havertz found the net, but the referee ruled out the goal for a foul on Emmanuel Agbadou moments earlier.
Just like in the opening half, Cote d’Ivoire sat deep and looked to strike on the counter while Germany kept pushing for an equaliser.
Their persistence finally paid off as coach Julian Nagelsmann’s substitutions made the difference.
Germany drew level through Undav, with the Stuttgart forward making a late run into the box to finish a cross from fellow substitute Nadiem Amiri with the inside of his left foot.
READ MORE: Amad Diallo’s late strike hands Ivory Coast winning start against Ecuador
After conceding, Emerse Fae’s men refused to sit back and instead created more opportunities despite Germany dominating possession in the final third.
In the closing stages, they came agonisingly close to restoring their lead when substitute Nicolas Pepe burst down the right wing and delivered a low cross into the box for fellow substitute Simon Adingra.
The winger only needed a touch to score but took an extra moment to control the ball, allowing Germany to clear the danger and launch an attack of their own. Nathaniel Brown tested Yahia Fofana shortly afterwards, but the goalkeeper was equal to the task.
Just when Ivory Coast thought they had secured a valuable point from this thrilling encounter, Undav broke their hearts with a dramatic late winner that ensured the four-time world champions walked away with all three points.
Ivory Coast now face a mountain to climb in their final group match, where they must defeat Curaçao on Thursday, June 25, to keep their Round of 32 hopes alive.
Germany, meanwhile, will take on Ecuador in what is effectively a dead-rubber fixture, having already secured qualification and ended the group-stage misery that saw them eliminated in both 2018 and 2022.
Germany vs Ivory Coast World Cup 2026 Group E lineups, Wednesday June 20
- Germany starting lineup: Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck, Nathaniel Brown, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Felix Nmecha, Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Kai Havertz.
- Ivory Coast starting lineup: Yahia Fofana, Wilfried Singo, Odilon Kossounou, Emmanuel Agbadou, Ghislain Konan, Amad Diallo, Franck Kessie, Ibrahim Sangare, Yan Diomande, Christ Inao Oulaï, Ange-Yoan Bonny.
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026
France national football team 2026
Senegal national football team 2026