Deniz Undav struck twice off the bench to fire Germany past Ivory Coast 2-1, sealing their place in the World Cup’s round of 32. The win, though, came at a cost. Nico Schlotterbeck’s tournament now hangs in the balance after a suspected ligament injury forced him off at halftime.

Undav Strikes Again as Super Sub

Germany looked off the pace for long stretches in Toronto. Franck Kessie put Ivory Coast ahead in the 30th minute, capitalizing after a blocked effort fell kindly into his path, and Julian Nagelsmann’s side struggled to find rhythm against a disciplined opponent. Enter Undav. Introduced alongside Nadiem Amiri just after the hour mark, the forward leveled things in the 68th minute, controlling Amiri’s curled delivery before volleying home.

That alone would have been a fine impact. Undav, however, wasn’t finished. Deep into stoppage time, Felix Nmecha slipped a pass into his path, and the German fired home for the winner. It marked his second consecutive match coming off the bench to score, following his goal in the opening rout of Curacao, and pushed his tournament tally to three goals and two assists through just two appearances.

Afterward, Undav credited the wider squad’s depth. “It’s important that everyone sees that even the players from the bench can decide games,” he said. Nagelsmann backed that sentiment fully, praising his readiness to perform instantly regardless of minutes played.

Schlotterbeck Injury Clouds the Celebration

The win, though, carried real cost. Schlotterbeck picked up an ankle issue during a challenge in the first half, fought through nearly thirty minutes of discomfort, then didn’t reappear after the break. “It’s not looking good,” Nagelsmann admitted afterward, confirming suspicion of a ligament injury pending further scans.

Asked whether Undav might now start going forward, Nagelsmann stayed cautious. “It can go in both directions,” he said, acknowledging the dilemma his impact has created. Germany face Ecuador next, knowing fresh selection headaches now await alongside genuine momentum