Germany secured a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Ivory Coast in Group E, played before a raucous crowd at Toronto's BMO Field on Saturday. Substitute Deniz Undav, the prolific Stuttgart forward who finished as the second-highest scorer in the Bundesliga this past season, scored twice in the second half — the decisive goal deep into injury time — to overturn a deficit and send Germany through to the round of 32 for the first time since they lifted the trophy at Brazil 2014, having been eliminated in the group stage at both Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

Ivory Coast, known as Les Éléphants and ranked among West Africa's strongest footballing nations, had frustrated Germany throughout the first half and struck against the run of play. Yan Diomandé burst down the left flank and crossed low into the box, where Amad Diallo's shot was parried by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, only for Franck Kessié — the Ivorian captain, formerly of Barcelona and now playing in Saudi Arabia — to tap in the rebound in the 29th minute. Germany had twice believed they had taken the lead before that moment, but goals from Aleksandar Pavlović and Kai Havertz were both disallowed for fouls in the build-up, leaving the large German-heritage contingent among Toronto's 100,000-plus crowd deeply aggrieved at the interval.

Manager Julian Nagelsmann reshaped his attack after the break, introducing Undav, Nadiem Amiri, Jamie Leweling and eventually Leon Goretzka. The changes altered the game's rhythm, and Undav converted a low cross from Amiri with a powerful close-range finish in the 68th minute to level the scores. Ivory Coast then came agonisingly close to retaking the lead when Simon Adingra, played in by Nicolas Pépé, hesitated rather than shooting first-time, allowing Jonathan Tah to intercept. Moments later, Felix Nmecha threaded a precise through ball past the Ivorian defence, and Undav collected it calmly before rounding goalkeeper Yahia Fofana and finishing into an empty net in the 93rd minute. Undav has now scored nine goals in his last eight international appearances.

Ivorian coach Emerse Faé attributed the defeat primarily to a lack of experience at critical moments.