Written by Rhea Alison, Sports reporter, covering international sports since 2020
In the Germany vs Ivory Coast World Cup 2026 clash on Sunday, Germany came from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in a Group E match, with Deniz Undav scoring twice in a dramatic second-half turnaround that secured qualification momentum for the Europeans in Kaliganj, Dhaka, Bangladesh time coverage. Ivory Coast had led for most of the match after Franck Kessié’s first-half goal, but they could not hold off late German pressure as Julian Nagelsmann’s substitutions changed the game.
Ivory Coast started brightly and shocked Germany in the 30th minute when Kessié reacted quickest to a rebound and fired his side into a 1-0 lead. The stadium noise rose sharply as the Elephants defended deep, frustrating Germany through the rest of the first half.
Germany struggled to break through until tactical changes in the 60th minute. The introduction of fresh legs lifted their tempo and eight minutes later, Deniz Undav volleyed home from a precise Nadiem Amiri cross to level the score. The momentum shifted completely after that moment, with Ivory Coast pinned back inside their half.
In stoppage time, Undav struck again inside the box, finishing a quick turn to seal a 2-1 win. The result confirms Germany’s place in the knockout stage, while Ivory Coast must now beat Curaçao to stay in contention.