Ivory Coast were the better side in the first half. In the 30th minute, that superiority told: Yan Diomande played the ball into the penalty area, Manuel Neuer saved the initial effort from Amad Diallo, but Franck Kessié reacted quickest to the rebound and slotted home from close range. Two German goals had previously been disallowed by VAR - an offensive foul by Aleksandar Pavlović in the 23rd minute and another by Jamal Musiala had both prevented the lead.
Germany2:1Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast responded with substitutions of their own and attempted to turn the game back in their favour. Fofana kept his side in it with five saves and was the standout performer on the pitch all evening. Germany continued to press: with 60 per cent possession, 16 shots and an xG value of 1.84, the Germans created the clearer chances, but were repeatedly denied by the Ivorian goalkeeper.
The winning goal did not arrive until the fourth minute of stoppage time. Felix Nmecha played a precise pass into the penalty area, Undav brought the ball under control, turned, and fired low into the net. It was his second goal of the evening - and already his fourth at this World Cup, every one of them as a substitute. Undav is thus the first German player to score in each of his first two World Cup appearances since Miroslav Klose in 2002.
For Germany, the victory means an early place in the knockout round - the first time since the 2014 World Cup final that the side have progressed from the group stage. In both 2018 and 2022, they were eliminated in the first round. Ivory Coast, sitting on three points heading into their final group match against Curaçao, are under pressure to deliver.
