Late drama: Germany come from behind to beat Côte d'Ivoire 2-1

In 2026 FIFA World Cup Group E, Germany came from a goal down to beat Côte d'Ivoire 2-1 with a last-minute strike. At BMO Field in Toronto, the hero was Deniz Undav, who came off the bench to score twice.

Four-time champions Germany started poorly and fell behind to Franck Kessié's 30th-minute goal, going into the break 1-0 down. Julian Nagelsmann began the second half by bringing on Rüdiger for Schlotterbeck, then in the 60th minute introduced Undav, Amiri and Leweling all at once to completely reshape his attack.

The changes paid off quickly. In the 68th, Undav met a Nadiem Amiri pass inside the box and finished calmly to make it 1-1. Germany increased the pressure for the rest of the match but could not break down Côte d'Ivoire's disciplined defence for a long spell. The West African side threatened on the counter at times but could not change the score.

Just as a draw looked likely, Undav again decided the game. In the 90+4th, the experienced striker met a Felix Nmecha pass and scored his second and Germany's winner to make it 2-1. The stoppage-time goal sent Germany away with all three points.

The statistics confirmed Germany's superiority. The hosts reached 59% possession and 1.83 expected goals (xG), with Côte d'Ivoire on 1.22. Germany produced almost twice as many shots with 16 and created six big chances. But their struggle to convert that dominance kept the game on a knife-edge until the very end. The match was officiated by Paraguay's Benitez J.

With the result, Germany claimed a second win to reach six points and all but secured passage from a World Cup group for the first time in 12 years. Nagelsmann's substitutions directly shaping the game was an important boost for the manager. Undav's two-goal impact from the bench, in particular, showcased Germany's attacking depth.

Côte d'Ivoire, who had been on the brink of a major upset in the first half, were undone at the death. Emerse Faé's side, who had pushed Germany hard after their win over Ecuador, keep their hopes alive but let a big opportunity slip with this defeat. The West African team will look to win again in their final group match.

Image: BBC Sport