Germany became the third team to advance to the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after mounting a stirring comeback to defeat Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in Group E on Saturday, June 20.

The four-time world champions secured their second consecutive victory, reaching six points and mathematically qualifying for the knockout stage with one group match still to play. The result also marked Germany’s continued strong form in the tournament following their emphatic 7-1 opening win against Curaçao.

Côte d’Ivoire took a surprise lead in the 30th minute when Franck Kessié pounced on a rebound after Germany failed to clear a set-piece, giving the Elephants a deserved advantage at the break. Despite dominating possession and creating multiple opportunities, the Germans had two first-half goals correctly disallowed.

The equalizer finally arrived in the 68th minute when substitute Deniz Undav volleyed home a precise cross from Nadiem Amiri. Undav then became the hero of the night, scoring the winning goal in the 94th minute, calmly finishing a well-worked move involving Felix Nmecha.

The brace took Undav’s international tally to nine goals in his last eight appearances for Germany, underlining his superb current form.

Côte d’Ivoire, who started the group with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ecuador, remain on three points. They will need a positive result against Curaçao in their final group fixture to keep qualification hopes alive.

Germany will face Ecuador in their last group game. With maximum points already secured, the team can now focus on fine-tuning their performance ahead of the knockout rounds.

The win places Germany alongside Mexico and the United States as the third nation to book a spot in the Round of 32. The match showcased both the resilience of the German squad and the competitive spirit of an improving Ivorian side.