Undav's Winning Goal
Deniz Undav's brilliant goal clinches 2-1 victory for Germany over Ivory Coast in Toronto
Deniz Undav came off the bench and scored twice in the second half to give Germany a 2-1 comeback win over Ivory Coast at BMO Field in Toronto on June 20, 2026. The Stuttgart striker rescued his team from a shocking World Cup upset, with his winner coming in the 94th minute to send Germany into the Round of 32 Al Jazeera.
The victory ends a painful run of two straight group-stage exits for Germany — in Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) — and makes them one of the first teams through to the knockout phase of the expanded 48-team tournament, Reuters reported.
Kessié Gives Ivory Coast Stunning First-Half Lead
Ivory Coast drew first blood in the 30th minute. Captain Franck Kessié pounced on a rebound after Nathaniel Brown blocked an initial shot by Amad Diallo. The move was sparked by teenage sensation Yan Diomande, whose surging run tore through the German defence, according to Africa Top Sports.
Germany had chances to score before the break, but Kai Havertz saw two efforts wiped out. First, goalkeeper Yahia Fofana made a diving save in the 10th minute. Then a Havertz goal was ruled out by VAR after Jamal Musiala was judged to have fouled an Ivory Coast defender in the build-up, Bulinews reported.
Nagelsmann's Triple Substitution Flips the Match
At the hour mark, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann made a bold triple change. He brought on Deniz Undav, Nadiem Amiri, and Jamie Leweling for Musiala, Pavlović, and Leroy Sané. The move paid off almost immediately, according to Sky Sports.
Just eight minutes later, in the 68th minute, Amiri whipped in a curling cross and Undav met it with a clinical volley into the roof of the net to make it 1-1. Marca described it as a 'fantástica jugada' — a fantastic team move that showed the substitutes had instantly clicked.
Undav's Last-Gasp Winner Sends Toronto Into Frenzy
Germany kept pressing and got their reward deep into stoppage time. In the 94th minute, Felix Nmecha threaded a brilliant pass from outside the box into the penalty area. Undav received it with his back to goal, spun sharply, and fired into the bottom corner in front of 43,036 fans at BMO Field, AP News reported.
Marca captured the drama: Undav 'recibe de espaldas dentro del área un gran envío de Nmecha y a la mediavuelta resuelve' — he turned and finished in one movement to 'desatar la locura en Toronto,' unleashing chaos in the stadium. It was his third goal in just two World Cup appearances.
Germany's Drought Ends, Ivory Coast Still Has a Path
The win puts Germany top of Group E with 6 points. They are now officially through to the Round of 32 alongside the USA and Mexico, making them one of the tournament's first confirmed qualifiers, Sky Sports reported. Undav's record now stands at 10 goals in 11 international appearances — one goal every 36 minutes played for Germany.
For Ivory Coast, the defeat was a cruel blow. The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations winners sit second in Group E with 3 points. They will likely need a result against Curaçao in their final group game to advance, according to Reuters. Coach Emerse Faé had said before the match: 'We're not coming to watch the Germans play. We're coming to beat them.' They nearly did.
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