Deniz Undav continued his remarkable scoring streak from the bench as Germany came from behind to defeat Côte d’Ivoire 2–1 in Toronto, securing their place in the World Cup knockout stages with a second successive victory.
The VfB Stuttgart forward, who also scored as a substitute in Germany’s opening fixture, struck twice after the interval to cancel out Franck Kessié’s first-half opener for the Elephants. The result leaves Julian Nagelsmann’s side top of Group E with six points, three clear of Côte d’Ivoire, and guaranteed a spot in the last 16 with a game to spare.
Frustration turns to triumph
Germany dominated the opening exchanges but were twice denied by the officials. Aleksandar Pavlović had a header disallowed for a foul on goalkeeper Yahia Fofana, while Kai Havertz saw another effort ruled out after Jamal Musiala was judged to have fouled Odilon Kossounou in the build-up.
Côte d’Ivoire punished those missed opportunities when Kessié converted from close range after Nathaniel Brown had blocked Amad Diallo’s initial effort. The Elephants remained threatening until the break, with Ange-Yoan Bonny forcing further defensive work from the German backline.
Nagelsmann introduced fresh legs on the hour mark, and the impact was immediate. Nadiem Amiri provided the cross for Undav to equalise in the 68th minute, and Felix Nmecha later slipped a precise pass through for the striker to grab the winner in the closing stages. The brace takes Undav’s tournament tally to three goals and two assists in just two appearances, and his overall international record to an impressive nine goals and four assists in 11 caps.
Squad hails ‘unbelievable’ impact
Midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović led the tributes to the match-winner. “It’s incredible that he came on and scored two goals,” the 22-year-old said. “He already scored in the last game as well. He’s an unbelievable guy.”
Centre-back Jonathan Tah emphasised the psychological significance of the comeback. “We showed winning mentality and team spirit. That is exactly what you need to be successful in a tournament,” he stated. “We didn’t give up, we knew that we would wear the opponent down at some point. Everyone did outstandingly well. The way Deniz came on was simply outstanding.”
Starting dilemma
Despite Undav’s predatory instincts, Nagelsmann remained non-committal over whether the forward will start Thursday’s final group game against Ecuador. “They were two top-class goals from Deniz, he’s a pure-bred striker,” the coach acknowledged. “He scored two great goals without thinking. He knows where the goal is.”
While admitting it is “possible” Undav could be promoted to the lineup, Nagelsmann suggested continuity might serve the player better. “He is fulfilling his role exceptionally well,” he explained. “Now the questions will start again about whether he should start. But you could also say: leave him in his flow.”
Germany will face Ecuador on Thursday knowing they have already secured progression, while Côte d’Ivoire must wait to confirm their own fate in the tight Group E standings.