Deniz Undav’s Late Double Sends Germany Past Côte d’Ivoire in Dramatic Win

Some football stereotypes die hard. Germany may no longer be the cold, methodical winning machine that slowly ground opponents into submission, but they still know how to snatch victory from the final moments.

For the first time in 12 years, Germany will play in the World Cup knockout stages, thanks to another last-gasp win. Côte d’Ivoire took the lead in a lively match on Saturday through Franck Kessié’s 30th-minute goal, but Deniz Undav equalized in the 68th minute and scored the winner four minutes into stoppage time.

Germany 2-1 Côte d’Ivoire: World Cup 2026 – as it happened

The win put the four-time world champions on six points, though the youngest team in the tournament gave them a much tougher test than their 7-1 thrashing of Curaçao six days earlier. “We deserved to win,” said Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann. “The boys invested a lot.”

Before 2018, Germany had never been eliminated in a World Cup group stage. No other nation has reached as many semi-finals (13), with Brazil next at 11. Yet they went home early in Russia and again in Qatar.

With the tournament expanded to 48 teams and 32 advancing to the knockout rounds, a third straight group-stage exit seemed unlikely. Still, there were plenty of concerns about this unremarkable edition of a storied side.

Before traveling to the United States, Germany fretted over the lack of an obvious striker, the form of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, injuries to Serge Gnabry and Lennart Karl, a 40-year-old Manuel Neuer coaxed out of international retirement to solve the goalkeeping problem, and Nagelsmann himself, who has never fully convinced critics as Germany manager—or as Bayern Munich boss before that.

There was also the worry that Germany no longer produces world-class players capable of taking a game by the scruff of the neck. And maybe most concerning: the German public just doesn’t seem very interested in this team or this tournament.

Early on, an unchanged Germany side looked ready to build on their seven-goal performance. Kai Havertz nearly scored 15 seconds in, firing high. Joshua Kimmich then crossed for Havertz, whose header was saved brilliantly by Yahia Fofana. Musiala found space in Côte d’Ivoire’s packed defense but curled his shot wide.

Then came a farcical moment: Paraguayan referee Juan Gabriel Benítez halted play for a drinks break on a pleasant, brisk lakeside afternoon—perfect soccer weather. The near-sellout crowd jeered the unnecessary pause.

The break shifted momentum. In the 30th minute, 19-year-old Ivorian star Yan Diomande got free down the left, leaving Kimmich behind, and crossed low to Amad Diallo. The Manchester United man struggled to control the ball, and his shot was blocked by Nathaniel Brown, but Kessié was there to slot home the rebound.

If Germany and the estimated 12,000 traveling fans looked stunned, a disallowed goal re-energized them. In the 39th minute, Musiala was judged to have fouled Odilon Kossounou before Havertz scored. Côte d’Ivoire invited pressure, drawing 10 Germans into their half and nearly putting the game away on the break, but their final passes lacked precision.

Nagelsmann turned to a triple substitution at the hour mark, injecting more energy and aggression. “I’m very happy for the whole team,” he said. “Every player who came on was important. In the second half, we were more active and took more risks because we really wanted to win.”

The breakthrough came when substitute Nadiem Amiri found another substitute, Undav, in the box. He volleyed home from close range. From there, it was mostly one-way traffic, as Côte d’Ivoire’s bright orange shirts seemed to fade.

In a frantic, open finish, Côte d’Ivoire nearly stole the points on a late breakaway, but Simon Adingra hesitated. At the other end, Fofana denied Brown and Amiri before Undav, fed by Nmecha, spun and fired the winner.

“There’s frustration after this defeat,” said Côte d’Ivoire manager Emerse Faé. “But also a lot of pride in how we played against one of the tournament favorites. This defeat will serve us well.” Côte d’Ivoire face Curaçao on Thursday, with a chance to advance past the group stage for the first time in history.

Germany, meanwhile, pride themselves on being a “turniermannschaft”—a tournament team. It’s fitting, then, that they’ve finally reached the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time since winning it in 2014.