DENIZ Undav scored a second-half brace tonight in Toronto, Canada to help Germany come from behind to defeat Cote d’Ivoire 2-1I and book their place in the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
It is the first time Germany will be reaching the knockout rounds of the World Cup since they won the title in 2014.
The four-time winners were frustrated after going behind to a 30th-minute goal from Cote d’Ivoire captain Franck Kessie but Julian Nagelsmann turned to his bench in search of a response – and Undav delivered emphatically.
The Stuttgart forward applied a smart finish to fellow substitute Nadiem Amiri’s cross to break Cote d’Ivoire’s resistance in the 68th minute before scoring the winner in the 94th minute to inflict a painful defeat on the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations winners.
Undav had also scored a goal and provided two assists after coming off the bench in their 7-1 opening win against Curacao.
The dejected Ivorians can still progress from Group E behind Germany with a win against World Cup debutants Curacao in their final game.
Emerse Fae’s side impressed with their energy and directness early on in Toronto, but it was Germany who carved out the clearer of chances.
The Germans had the ball in the back of net in the 22nd minute through Aleksandar Pavlovic but his header from a corner was ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.
However, it was Cote d’Ivoire who struck first as their exciting 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande found Amad Diallo, whose close-range effort was blocked by Nathaniel Brown only for Kessie to convert the rebound.
Germany’s frustration grew as Havertz had a goal disallowed for a foul on Emmanuel Agbadou by Jamal Musiala in the build-up while an unmarked Christ Inao Oulai, Kessie and Simon Adingra spurned chances to get the winner for the Ivorians.
Those misses ultimately proved costly as the Africwere undone by the injury-time winner from Undav.
Fofana had kept out efforts from Brown and Amiri late on but there was nothing he could do as Undav expertly trapped a pass from Felix Nmecha and slotted past the goalkeeper on the turn to break the Ivorian hearts in the dying seconds.
With agency report
