Germany Win it Late as Undav Double Sinks Ivory Coast
Germany booked their place in the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after staging a dramatic comeback to defeat Ivory Coast 2-1 in a pulsating Group E clash at Toronto’s BMO Stadium.
The four-time world champions found themselves trailing at halftime after Franck Kessie capitalized on a scramble inside the penalty area to hand the Elephants the advantage in the 30th minute. The midfielder reacted quickest in the six-yard box to poke the ball beyond the German goalkeeper.
Ivory Coast’s energetic display frustrated Germany throughout much of the opening half, with the African side showing discipline in defence while carrying a threat on the break. Their reward was a deserved lead heading into the interval.
Sensing the need for a spark, Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann reshaped his attack after the restart, introducing Deniz Undav, Nadiem Amiri and Jamie Leweling in a bid to increase the tempo and creativity of his side.
The changes immediately altered the complexion of the contest. Germany began moving the ball with greater urgency and soon found a route back into the match through two of the substitutes.
Amiri delivered an inviting ball into the area and Undav timed his run perfectly before steering a close-range finish into the net. The equaliser energized Germany and shifted momentum away from the Ivorians, who suddenly found themselves under sustained pressure.
With both nations knowing that victory would significantly boost their qualification hopes, the game opened up in the closing stages. Germany pushed forward relentlessly while Ivory Coast searched for opportunities to exploit the spaces left behind.
The Elephants came agonizingly close to restoring their lead with only minutes remaining. Nicolas Pepe burst through on a dangerous counterattack and picked out Simon Adingra inside the box, but the winger hesitated at the crucial moment and failed to get a shot away as the opportunity slipped by.
That miss proved costly. Deep into stoppage time, Felix Nmecha split the Ivorian defence with a precise through ball that released Undav into space. The Stuttgart striker remained composed, driving his finish beyond Yahia Fofana to complete the turnaround and send the German bench into celebration.
The victory secures Germany’s progression to the knockout phase for the first time since their triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign in Brazil. Undav’s decisive contribution also took his tally to three goals in two matches at the tournament.
Ivory Coast, meanwhile, still have a path to the Round of 32 and could advance from the group when they face Curaçao in their final fixture, with a draw potentially enough to secure one of the competition’s best third-place spots.
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