Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast
It was only a few days ago that I suggested perhaps being a little bit out of the spotlight will help Germany deliver World Cup 2026 highlights this time around.
Certainly, a quick glance at the SBOTOP World Cup 2026 betting odds show Julian Nagelsmann’s side are lower down the list than normal when it comes to nations being spoken of as potential champions.
Perhaps that is due to the fact that, as holders in 2018, and again in 2022, they were shockingly knocked out at the group stages, while as hosts, the Euro 2024 dream ended at home to eventual winners Spain in the quarter-finals.
Fast forward two years, and a meeting in Toronto with a smart Ivory Coast side offered them a chance to make a statement.
Highlights of the game
In a good opening period, they looked the more likely side to make a breakthrough and, after a fine Joshua Kimmich cross, Kai Havertz was denied by goalkeeper Yahia Fofana just minutes in.
Jamal Musiala then burst into life, picking up possession on the edge of the area and narrowly curling a shot wide of the far post.
Momentum is a key part of football and Germany were on top. Then came the hydration break.
No sooner had play resumed and the Ivorians were in front with their first effort on target as captain Franck Kessie rifled his side ahead following super wing play from the highly-rated teenager Yan Diomande – a player who plies his trade in Germany with RB Leipzig.
The 19 year-old beat his man and drilled a dangerous ball into the penalty area, and there was Kessie to slam home after an initial shot from Amad Diallo was blocked.
AFCON champions two years ago, the Ivory Coast had their tails up and they led at the break as the Germans had two goals correctly disallowed.
They also were the better side at the start of the second period and possibly should have doubled their lead when Kessie was twice found by Diallo but was challenged before he could get a shot away on either occasion.
There was always a feeling that they would regret those missed opportunities and slowly Die Mannschaft began to pile on the pressure.
Havertz should probably have equalised – or at least got his header on target – when the otherwise faultless Fofana failed to punch away a Kimmich corner and then, seven minutes after a triple substitution, Germany were level as two of the arrivals combined.
Nadiem Amiri produced an inviting delivery into the box and there was Stuttgart man Deniz Undav who ran in unchecked and fired the ball beyond Fofana from close range before anyone had a chance to react.
The Ivory Coast reacted with a triple substitution of their own, although striker Elye Wahi wasn’t one of them.
The 23 year-old had received authorisation to enter Canada for this game after initially it appeared he was not going to be able to travel due to being investigated for alleged fixing.
In contrast to the first half, the hydration break in the second half seemed to give renewed momentum to Ivory Coast and their pace and power stretched their opponents in the closing stages.
Both teams had chances to win it.
Nicolas Pepe was terrific down the right and had too much pace for the German rearguard only for Simon Adingra – unmarked at the back post – to produce an awful first touch which gave Germany time to recover.
Then, just seconds later, full-back Nathaniel Brown forced an excellent save from Fofana.
It looked set to end level but Undav showed the Ivory Coast how to be clinical in front of goal as he latched onto a Felix Nmecha pass with a super turn and first time shot in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Elation for Germany; deflation for the wasteful Ivory Coast.
Key statistics
Germany are on an 11-game winning run, keeping a clean sheet in five of those matches.
This game ended Ivory Coast’s five-game winning streak.
All of Germany’s last seven matches have witnessed over 2.5 total goals, with four of those games seeing them net at least four times.
Germany have conceded at least one goal in each of their last eight World Cup games, their second-longest run after conceding in each of their first nine matches between 1934 and 1954 (the year they were crowned world champions for the first time).
Five of Germany’s last six games have seen both sides score.
What’s next?
The final games in Group E will be played on Thursday night (June 25) when Ivory Coast meet the minnows of Curacao and the Germans take on Ecuador.
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