This Saturday, Germany sealed its qualification to the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup after beating Ivory Coast 2-1 in Toronto, in a match that it had to come back from after being at a disadvantage for much of the match.
The African team surprised by opening the scoring in the 30th minute through Franck Kessié, who took advantage of one of his team’s few opportunities to punish the Germans despite the dominance they exerted on the ball and the dangerous chances.
Ivory Coast managed to contain the German attacks for much of the match, but the entry of Deniz Undav changed the course of the match. The striker equalized in the 68th minute with a volley finish from close range that restored confidence to the European team.
When it seemed that the match would end tied, Undav appeared again to score a brilliant score in the final minutes and complete the German comeback, sparking celebration among the fans present in Toronto.
With this result, the four-time world champion guarantees her presence in the knockout phase of the tournament, something she had not achieved since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, an edition in which she won her fourth world title after defeating Argentina in the final.
The victory also confirms Germany’s recovery on the international scene after the eliminations suffered in the group stages of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
