A brace off the bench from Deniz Undav, including a 94th-minute winner, ends Germany’s twelve-year knockout drought at the World Cup.
TORONTO — For the first time since lifting the trophy in Brazil twelve years ago, Germany are through to the knockout rounds of a FIFA World Cup. Deniz Undav wrote himself into tournament folklore on Saturday evening at BMO Field, entering from the bench in the 60th minute and overturning Ivory Coast’s lead with two goals in the space of 26 minutes — the second arriving four minutes into stoppage time to seal a gritty 2-1 victory and send Germany to the top of Group E with six points from two games.
Undav is just the fourth player in World Cup history to score both the equaliser and the winner as a substitute in the same match.
The game looked to be drifting toward a damaging defeat after Ivory Coast captain Franck Kessié converted a rebound in the 30th minute, punishing a Germany side that had two goals correctly ruled out in a chaotic first half. Undav and fellow substitute Nadiem Amiri changed the contest instantly after the hour mark: Amiri’s incisive long ball found Undav, who didn’t hesitate, slamming a first-time finish into the far corner to level at 1-1 in the 68th minute. With the clock running out and a draw beginning to feel like the ceiling, Undav struck again — this time in the 94th minute — to ignite wild celebrations among the German supporters packed into the stadium.
The victory also produced a piece of goalkeeping history. Manuel Neuer, the commanding figure between the posts when Germany conquered Brazil in 2014, made his 21st World Cup appearance, moving past France’s Hugo Lloris to become the goalkeeper with the most matches played in the competition’s history. At 40, Neuer continues to define longevity at the highest level. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, remain in the hunt with three points but must beat Curaçao in their final group game to have any hope of advancing, with Germany facing Ecuador in a Thursday dead-rubber.
Germany’s resurgence at this tournament carries a particular emotional weight. Exits in the group stage in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 shook the football establishment and sparked a nationwide reckoning with the national team’s identity. Two games in, the 2026 edition looks markedly different: a 7-1 demolition of Curaçao on matchday one, followed by this grinding, character-laden comeback. Whether Undav’s impact off the bench is a tactical trump card or a sign of deeper squad depth will be revealed in the rounds ahead — but Germany are back where their history demands them to be.
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