Substitute Undav’s double sends Germany past Ivory Coast and into the last 32
Deniz Undav came off the bench to score twice, the winner in stoppage time, as Germany recovered to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 and reach the World Cup knockout rounds.
Jun 20, 2026
Germany left it desperately late, but a two-goal cameo from substitute Deniz Undav rescued a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast in Toronto on June 20 and booked the four-time champions a place in the last 32. Undav levelled in the 68th minute and then settled it deep into stoppage time, turning a frustrating night for Julian Nagelsmann into a show of Germany’s staying power.
For an hour, almost nothing went right. Ivory Coast were sharp, organised and ahead, and the Germans had two first-half goals chalked off by VAR. Aleksandar Pavlovic thought he had headed them in front from a corner in the 23rd minute, only for the goal to be ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Yahia Fofana. Soon after, Kai Havertz swept the ball home after Jamal Musiala had tangled with Odilon Kossounou, but the referee pulled it back for the foul in the build-up.
Kessie punishes a wasteful Germany
Ivory Coast made their early control count in the 30th minute. Diomande surged down the left and clipped a cross toward Amad Diallo, whose shot was blocked, and captain Franck Kessie reacted quickest to hammer the loose ball past the goalkeeper. It was no more than the Elephants deserved by the interval, and Germany went into the break with plenty to fix.
Nagelsmann found his answers on the bench. A triple change just after the hour reshaped the German attack, and Undav was the man who made it tell. His equaliser in the 68th minute was a clinical volley that drew Germany level and shifted the momentum for good.
Undav has the last word
The winner arrived just when it looked as though Germany would have to settle for a point. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Undav was picked out inside the area, took a touch to turn his marker, and drilled his shot home to spark wild celebrations on the German bench. It was a cruel way for Ivory Coast to lose a game they had led for so long.
The result lifts Germany to six points and top of Group E, into the knockout rounds with a game to spare before their finale against Ecuador. Ivory Coast stay on three points and now face a far nervier final group game against Curacao, where a result should still be enough to carry them into the knockout stage for the first time.
For Nagelsmann, the obvious question is what to do with Undav next. A forward who keeps deciding games off the bench is a useful problem to have, but on this evidence he is making a strong case to start.