Deniz Undav's 94th-Minute Winner Sends Germany Into the World Cup Knockout Stage

Substitute Deniz Undav scored twice in the final half-hour, including a 94th-minute winner, as Germany came from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 at BMO Field in Toronto on Saturday — a result that secured Julian Nagelsmann's side a place in the World Cup's Round of 32 with a group game still to play.

Ivory Coast took a first-half lead through captain Franck Kessié, who reacted fastest to a loose ball in the area and finished from close range in the 30th minute. The goal threatened a significant upset against a Germany side that had opened the tournament with a 7-1 win over Curaçao.

Nagelsmann turned to his bench to find an equaliser, and it worked. Undav volleyed home a Nadiem Amiri cross in the 68th minute to level the score, and with the match heading for a draw he struck again in the fourth minute of stoppage time, finishing off a pass from fellow substitute Felix Nmecha to complete the turnaround and send the German bench into celebration.

The win moves Germany to six points from two matches in Group E, confirming their place among the 32 teams advancing to the knockout rounds regardless of the result of their final group fixture against Ecuador. For Ivory Coast, the defeat leaves their own qualification hopes unresolved heading into the final round of group games, despite a battling display against the four-time champions.

Germany's victory continued a pattern set in their opener, in which second-half substitutes have repeatedly proven decisive — Undav also came off the bench to score against Curaçao. Nagelsmann's use of his squad depth has emerged as one of the German team's most reliable assets through the early rounds of this tournament.

Sources: Sky Sports — World Cup 2026: Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast · ESPN — Germany-Ivory Coast live: reaction as Undav proves hero · FIFA — Germany v Côte d'Ivoire 2-1, First Stage