Substitute Deniz Undav scored twice in the second half to snatch a dramatic 2-1 victory for Germany over Ivory Coast in Toronto, sealing qualification for the round of 32 with a last-minute winner. Julian Nagelsmann’s proactive changes were rewarded as Undav cancelled out Franck Kessié’s opener before grabbing the decisive goal late on, leaving Liverpool target Yan Diomande struggling to make an impact for the Ivory Coast.
The result capped a day of high drama at the 2026 World Cup. Earlier, the Netherlands hammered Sweden 5-1 in their Group F showdown, with Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo both netting braces and Manchester United target Crysencio Summerville adding gloss. Ronald Koeman’s side were in devastating form as United States made it two wins from two in their group and Paraguay scored immediately after Almiron’s red card sparked a huge bust-up between the two teams.
“Germany sealed World Cup qualification with a last-minute winner from substitute Deniz Undav against Ivory Coast.”
Attention now turns to Ecuador vs Curacao in the early hours of Sunday morning, with Moisés Caicedo’s side facing the minnows. Later, Tunisia face a must-win match against Japan. Back in Britain, a record six million viewers tuned in to watch Scotland’s clash with Morocco – a match that saw Scotland trailing 1-0 at half-time after Ismael Saibari thundered one in.
Off the pitch, Gary Lineker made his ITV World Cup debut, stealing the show as he appeared on the channel’s coverage. The BBC presenter’s move to a rival broadcaster came amid Emma Hayes hitting back at criticism and a TV host quitting after a claim about Lionel Messi. Brazil got the samba started with Matheus Cunha scoring a belter, while Vinicius Jr joined in the carnival. But the unanswered question remains: can Germany’s late heroics carry them deep into the tournament?