Undav off the bench sends Germany back to the World Cup knockouts after 12 years
What happened
Germany reached the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since 2014, coming from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in their Group E match on June 20. Substitute Deniz Undav scored both goals, equalising in the 68th minute after Franck Kessié had put the Ivorians ahead, then drilling in the winner deep into stoppage time.
The result, reported by ESPN and Al Jazeera, confirmed Germany as Group E winners with a game to spare and ended a run of two successive group-stage exits at the previous World Cups.
Why it matters
For a four-time world champion, a return to the last 32 after early eliminations in 2018 and 2022 removes a heavy weight from Julian Nagelsmann's side, even if the performance was far from convincing. Nagelsmann's decision to turn to Undav from the bench proved decisive, with the forward repaying him inside half an hour of being introduced.
Undav's contribution carried a statistical footnote too: he became one of only a handful of players in World Cup history to score both an equaliser and a winner as a substitute in the same match.
Context
Germany had opened the tournament with a 7-1 rout of Curaçao but were made to work far harder by an organised Ivory Coast, who led through Kessié and looked capable of springing a surprise before the substitutions changed the game. Topping the group means Germany avoid some of the stronger runners-up in the knockout draw.
Ivory Coast, by contrast, are left needing a result on the final matchday to advance from a group that has tightened behind the leaders.
What to watch next
With Group E already won, Nagelsmann can rotate and manage minutes in the final group game, and Undav's two-goal cameo strengthens his case for more involvement alongside Kai Havertz. Ivory Coast's must-win finale is the immediate jeopardy in the section, while Germany's attention turns to securing the most favourable knockout path. The seeding implications of the final round of fixtures are the next thing to track.