Deniz Undav struck twice from the bench to deliver Germany a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Ivory Coast in Group E of the FIFA World Cup 2026, with the decisive goal arriving deep into stoppage time at Toronto Stadium on Saturday.

Germany looked destined for a shock defeat until Undav's introduction in the 60th minute changed the complexion of the game entirely. He levelled with a sharp volley from Nadiem Amiri's cross in the 68th minute, then seized the winner in the 94th with a composed finish after Felix Nmecha slid him through.

The result sends Germany into the knockout rounds alongside USA and Mexico, with a group game still to play. Ivory Coast, who had beaten Ecuador in their opening fixture, remain in danger of an early exit and need results to go their way.

Kessie fires Ivory Coast ahead

The Elephants were the stronger side in the first half, with Yan Diomande — a reported target for Liverpool — outstanding in the opening period. It was Diomande's burst of pace and precise low cross that allowed captain Franck Kessie to tap home and open the scoring in the 30th minute.

Germany twice thought they had levelled before the break. Aleksandar Pavlovic forced the ball over the line in the 22nd minute only to be penalised for fouling the goalkeeper, and Kai Havertz had a second disallowed — this time for a foul by Jamal Musiala — in the 39th minute. Havertz had earlier been denied by a strong save from Yahia Fofana in the 10th minute.

Undav's impact impossible to ignore

Undav's match-winning double is no accident. The 29-year-old arrived in Canada off the back of a prolific campaign for Stuttgart, contributing 25 goals across 46 appearances in all competitions last season. His international record is equally striking — nine goals in just 11 games for Germany, almost all of them as a substitute.

His rise has been gradual. Undav only earned his first senior cap two years ago at the age of 27, after an underwhelming stint at Brighton — where he scored five goals in 22 Premier League appearances during the 2022/23 season. At this World Cup, however, he has already netted in back-to-back matches, following a goal against Curacao with his brace against Ivory Coast.

In a Germany squad packed with high-profile names, Undav is emerging as the tournament's most potent super-sub — and an early contender for the Golden Boot.