Germany trailed at halftime and looked short of ideas, but Deniz Undav flipped the script with two second-half goals to secure a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast at BMO Field on Saturday. Franck Kessie had put the Elephants ahead on 30 minutes, and that lead held through the break. Three triple substitutions from Julian Nagelsmann changed the game’s shape, and Undav, who entered late, punished Ivory Coast twice, the second arriving at the death. Germany move to three points in Group Stage 2, while Ivory Coast’s wait for a win continues.
Key Moments
- 30′, Franck Kessie opens the scoring for Ivory Coast with a normal goal, giving the Elephants a deserved lead that they would carry into the break.
- 46′, Germany make their first change at the start of the second half, replacing Nico Schlotterbeck in an early signal that Nagelsmann wanted more from his backline.
- 60′, Nagelsmann throws on three players at once, removing Sane, Musiala and Pavlovic, reshaping Germany’s midfield and attack in search of an equalizer.
- 68′, Deniz Undav equalizes for Germany, pulling the score level at 1-1 just eight minutes after the triple change altered the game’s tempo.
- 90′, Undav completes his brace with a 90th-minute goal to win it for Germany, capping a dramatic second-half turnaround at BMO Field.
Tactical Breakdown
Germany dominated possession throughout, finishing with 59% of the ball, 622 passes at an 89% accuracy rate, and 16 total shots compared to Ivory Coast’s nine. Their xG of 1.83 reflected that dominance in volume, though it took until the 68th minute for that pressure to produce a goal. The problem in the first half was converting territory into genuine chances: only seven shots were on target across the full 90 minutes, and Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana was busy, finishing with five saves.
The game turned on Nagelsmann’s 60th-minute triple substitution. Bringing off Sane, Musiala and Pavlovic in one move injected fresh legs and changed Germany’s approach in the final third. Within eight minutes the team had equalized through Undav, and the team’s rhythm in possession became sharper. Ivory Coast responded with their own wave of changes, introducing five substitutes between the 75th and 85th minutes, but the momentum had already shifted irreversibly.
Ivory Coast’s 4-1-4-1 was disciplined in the first half, with Ibrahim Sangare holding shape in front of a back four that restricted Germany to few clear looks. Their xG of 1.23 was respectable given they had just 41% possession, and Kessie’s goal was a product of staying compact and transitioning quickly. But as the game wore on and fatigue set in, Germany’s extra depth told. The Elephants finished with only two shots on target, and once the equalizer arrived they had no real answer to Undav’s late winner.
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Verdict
Germany pick up their first three points of the tournament and keep their qualification hopes alive heading into the final group stage match. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, remain without a win and face a difficult path through to the knockout rounds. With Mexico already on six points at the top of the group, both teams will need results in the next round to stay in contention.