Undav brace sends Germany into knockout round at World Cup

The afternoon had begun with a reminder of the calibre of the task. Ivory Coast, organised and physical, took an early lead and largely frustrated a German side that rotated heavily after the 7:1 opening win over Curaçao. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann used 16 players in total across the two fixtures, and his triple change at half-time, including Undav and Mainz midfielder Nadiem Amiri, shifted the game's momentum decisively.

Undav's decisive contribution

Undav's first goal arrived in the 68th minute after Amiri, himself a half-time introduction making his World Cup debut, played the pass that set up the equaliser. Amiri's assist was his first contribution in just eight minutes on the field. "Hier mein WM-Debüt mit der Vorlage zum 1:1 zu geben und das Spiel so zu drehen, ist wirklich perfekt," the Mainz player said afterwards.

The winner came deep into added time. A loose ball fell to Undav inside the penalty area, and he steered a first-time shot past the Ivory Coast goalkeeper with the outside of his boot. The final-whistle jubilation drew comparisons to Germany's last-second group-stage victory over Poland at the 2006 World Cup, a result that came in similar dramatic fashion.

Praise from the coach

Speaking to broadcaster ZDF, Nagelsmann reserved special praise for his match-winner. "Er ist einfach ein Vollblutstürmer," the head coach said, adding of the decisive moment: "Gerade beim zweiten Tor, wie er sich im Rücken von seinem Verteidiger wegschleicht. Der Kontakt von Deniz und ohne Nachdenken mit dem zweiten Kontakt zu schießen – das ist ein Stürmertyp, der einfach weiß, wo das Tor steht." The Germany coach, who turns 38 later this year, also said of his squad: "Ich bin sehr stolz auf die Spieler, die reingekommen sind."

Undav's tournament numbers underline his impact. After two appearances, he has produced five scorer contributions in just 56 minutes on the field, following three against Curaçao in the opener. The 29-year-old, whose 17th international appearance brought his tally to nine goals, now sits atop the World Cup scoring charts. "Ich weiß, dass ich in jedem Spiel treffen kann, vor allem mit den überragenden Mitspielern," Undav said. "Es gibt keine Nervosität, es ist nur ein Fußballspiel."

Curaçao result seals group win

The victory was sealed before the evening was out. Curaçao, the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup, produced the result of the tournament by holding Ecuador to a 0:0 draw in Kansas City. The combined standings left Germany out of reach at the top of Group E, regardless of the result against Ecuador on Thursday (kick-off 22:00 CEST, live on ARD and MagentaTV).

Nagelsmann hinted that Undav could now be in line for a starting role in New York against the South Americans. "Er trifft die Entscheidungen und ich glaube, es ist nur wichtig für ihn und auch für die Spieler, die von der Bank kommen und die, die spielen, dass sie sehen, okay, dass jeder, der reinkommt, Akzente setzen kann, das Spiel ändern kann," the forward said when asked about his coach's choices. The head coach confirmed that a starting spot for Undav against Ecuador was "absolut im Bereich des Möglichen."

Schlotterbeck injury concern

Off the field, the victory was overshadowed by concern over central defender Nico Schlotterbeck, who left the match with a left ankle injury. "Er hat irgendwas im Innenband, ich weiß noch nicht, was," Nagelsmann said after the game. "Er muss morgen ins MRT, es sieht leider nicht ganz so gut aus." A further update on the Dortmund player's availability is expected after the scan. Nagelsmann nonetheless praised the defender for "wie er sich noch durchgebissen hat bis zur Pause."

The wider picture has changed sharply in a matter of weeks. After a string of underwhelming results in the run-up to the tournament, Germany now travel to their final group match with momentum and a clear path through to the round of 16. "Vor drei Wochen war ja noch alles in Schutt und Asche," Nagelsmann said, highlighting the turnaround. The team's first knockout match is scheduled for 29 June in Boston against a third-placed team from another group.

Tah, the experienced defender, summarised the squad mood: "Siegermentalität, Teamgeist – wir hatten genau das, was man braucht, um in einem Turnier erfolgreich zu sein." Nagelsmann added: "Wir sind mit Rückschlägen gut umgegangen. Beide wollten gewinnen, wir vielleicht einen Tick mehr als der Gegner."

Broader tournament context

Looking ahead, the German squad will use the remaining group fixture to fine-tune their line-up before the knockout phase begins. Nagelsmann said a coach would never change a side after a 7:1 opening win in a World Cup, but with the top spot already secured, the German coach now has the luxury of choice for Ecuador. "Jetzt einfach den Flow mitnehmen!" Undav declared. "Wir haben ein gemeinsames Ziel, und wenn das gerade so gut funktioniert, liegt es am Bundestrainer."

The wider group stage meanwhile continued to deliver surprises elsewhere. Spain were held 0:0 by Cape Verde in a result that sent shockwaves through the tournament. Argentina beat Algeria with Lionel Messi equalling Miroslav Klose's record. Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway beat Iraq, and Portugal fell to an underdog defeat. The Netherlands, watched by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, beat Sweden 5:1, before the Dutch royals travelled on to Kansas City to witness Curaçao's historic draw against Ecuador. For Cape Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha, the personal highlight was having his mother in the stands in Miami for the match against Uruguay.

Back in the German camp, the focus now turns to Ecuador. With Undav in form, Schlotterbeck facing a medical update, and a deeper squad that has shown it can change games from the bench, Germany head into the knockout round with belief. The team has not reached this stage at a World Cup since lifting the trophy in Brazil twelve years ago. Whether they can repeat that journey in the United States, Canada and Mexico remains to be seen, but the next chapter begins in Boston on 29 June.