Germany and Ivory Coast meet in Toronto with top of Group E at stake

This is the game that decides Group E. Germany and Ivory Coast both won their opening matches, both have three points, and when they meet at BMO Field in Toronto the winner all but seals a place in the last 32. For Indian viewers it is a late one, with kick-off at 1:30am IST in the early hours of Sunday.

Germany arrive in form, if not quite settled

Julian Nagelsmann’s side could hardly have asked for a better start. They put seven past Curacao in their opener, Kai Havertz scoring twice and Jamal Musiala also on the scoresheet, and the 7-1 win stretched their unbeaten run to a tenth straight match across all competitions. The goals are flowing, and on paper Germany are favourites here.

The caveats are at the other end. Germany have not kept a clean sheet at a World Cup since the 2014 final, and they have conceded in four of their last five outings, so a sharper opponent than Curacao will ask harder questions. Serge Gnabry is out of the tournament with injury, and Nagelsmann has selection calls to make in attack, with Deniz Undav pushing for a start after catching the eye off the bench.

Ivory Coast will fancy their chances

Emerse Fae’s Ivory Coast are not here to make up the numbers. They were not at their fluent best against Ecuador but found a way to win it, substitute Amad Diallo settling a tight contest late on, and that result said plenty about a side built on a well-drilled defence and the drive of captain Franck Kessie in midfield.

Diallo’s winner should earn him a start, and the Ivorians will back their organisation to frustrate Germany and spring something on the break. The one worry is at the back, where centre-back Evan Ndicka missed the opener with a hamstring problem and remains a doubt.

What is at stake

With the expanded format handing even some third-placed teams a route through, neither side is in any real danger of going out yet. What is on offer here is first place in the group and the smoother knockout draw that tends to come with it. Germany will want to prove the Curacao rout was a statement rather than a flattering scoreline. Ivory Coast will see a heavyweight there to be caught cold. It should be the better test of the two for whoever comes out on top.

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