Undav clinches win over Ivory Coast as Germany reach knockouts

Germany vs Ivory Coast. FIFA World Cup Group E.

>Toronto StadiumAttendance: Attendance43,036.

>Match report as Germany reach the World Cup knockout stages with a late 2-1 win over Ivory Coast in Group E; Deniz Undav scored twice from the bench with his winner coming in the 94th minute; Franck Kessie opened the scoring for Ivory Coast

>Deniz Undav's 94th-minute goal clinched a come-from-behind 2-1 victory for Germany against Ivory Coast in Group E to send them into the World Cup knockout stages.

>Substitute Undav clinically dispatched the winner from Felix Nmecha's pass having earlier cancelled out Ivory Coast captain Franck Kessie's opener by volleying in a Nadiem Amiri cross.

>Germany appeared to be heading for a shock defeat before the former Brighton striker's 60th-minute introduction but his goals, which put him on nine in 11 games for his country, mean they join USA and Mexico in reaching the knockouts with a game to spare.

>Ivory Coast, winners against Ecuador in their opener, were the better side in the first half, inspired by Liverpool target Yan Diomande, who helped set up Kessie's goal with a burst of pace and low cross, but the defeat means they still have work to do to qualify.

>Deniz Undav did not make much of a mark in the Premier League, scoring a modest total of five goals in 22 appearances for Brighton during the 2022/23 season. But his match-winning double against Ivory Coast follows a goal and two assists against Curacao.

>The 29-year-old came into the tournament on the back of an impressive campaign for Stuttgart which featured 25 goals in 46 games in all competitions and his international scoring record is even more impressive, especially as he usually features from the bench.

>He is a late bloomer. He only made his senior international debut two years ago at the age of 27. But in a squad which features more illustrious names, he is showing himself to be Germany's real difference-maker with an early push for the Golden Boot.

>Gary Neville told ITV: "In the first 10 or 15 minutes of the second half, Ivory Coast should have killed the game off.

>"But it's just what Germany do. They've ruined my life on multiple occasions.

>"You've got to hand it to Germany there. They were struggling in parts of that match.

>"They stuck at it, persistence, resilience and they got there in the end. It's so Germany."