Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast: Deniz Undav Delivers As Super-Sub In World Cup Comeback

Deniz Undav stepped off the bench to score twice, including a 94th-minute winner, as Germany overturned a deficit to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 and secure progression to the World Cup last 32, with the RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande impressing for Ivory Coast during a tense contest in Toronto.

This victory ends Germany’s run of two straight group exits at World Cups in 2018 and 2022, and guarantees a top-two finish in Group E, while Julian Nagelsmann’s team will win the section if Ecuador fail to collect maximum points from both of their remaining group fixtures.

Ivory Coast struck first on 30 minutes through captain Franck Kessie, yet Germany’s substitutes tilted the match, as Nagelsmann sent on Undav and Nadiem Amiri in a triple change on the hour, with Undav equalising after eight further minutes before striking again in stoppage time for his second brace in consecutive substitute appearances.

Undav now has five goal contributions from the bench at this World Cup, after recording one goal and two assists against Curacao, and this matches Roger Milla’s 1990 record for most goal involvements as a substitute at a single World Cup since 1966, underlining Undav’s impact in limited minutes.

Opta figures show Undav is the first Germany player since Miroslav Klose in 2002 to score in each of a first two World Cup appearances, and if Undav approaches the output of the tournament’s joint-record scorer in later matches, Nagelsmann and Germany will regard this as a very positive sign.

Germany’s bench strength ultimately overcame Ivory Coast’s organised counter-attacking and Diomande’s influence on the left, and the result delivers Germany a long-awaited return to World Cup knockout football, while Ivory Coast leave the match knowing they troubled a major opponent but lacked precision during key moments at both ends.