7M - Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast: Deniz Undav's brace fires Julian Nagelsmann's side into World Cup knockout stage for first time since 2014

Four-time champions Germany booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after coming from a goal down to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast in Group E at the Toronto Stadium.

Julian Nagelsmann's men endured a highly frustrating first half, during which they had two goals disallowed by the referee. The first came in the 23rd minute when Aleksandar Pavlovic was judged to have fouled Ivorian goalkeeper Yahia Fofana. In the 40th minute, Kai Havertz found the back of the net, but the strike was waved off due to a foul by Jamal Musiala during the buildup.

Ivory Coast capitalized on their opponents' frustration and took the lead in the 30th minute. Yan Diomande beat Joshua Kimmich down the left flank to deliver a low cross to Amad Diallo. While Diallo's initial effort was blocked by Nathaniel Brown, Ivorian captain Franck Kessie quickly reacted to drive the rebound past Manuel Neuer.

With Germany facing a deficit, Nagelsmann introduced substitute Deniz Undav in the 59th minute. The forward made an immediate impact, leveling the score in the 68th minute by meeting a cross from fellow substitute Nadiem Amiri with an incredibly calm volley.

As the match entered a frantic final period, Les Elephants missed a golden opportunity to regain the lead in the 88th minute when Simon Adingra failed to hit the target from close range.

Ivory Coast were ultimately punished for that miss in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time. Undav beautifully controlled a sharp pass from Felix Nmecha, spun past his marker, and fired a clinical finish past Fofana to secure the win and seal Germany's progression.