
7 days · 11 summary articles
Deniz Undav’s two late goals on Sunday turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory for Germany over Ivory Coast, securing first place in Group D and a place in the knockout rounds for the first time since the 2014 World Cup. The 94th-minute winner, a clinical finish after a swift counter, capped a dramatic comeback that had already seen Undav equalise in the 89th minute, sending the German bench into raptures and the 42,000 spectators in Stuttgart into rapturous celebration. “Exactly the right positions, exactly the right types,” wrote *WELT*’s Christian Beilfuß, comparing the moment to the “Sommermärchen” of 2006 .
The win, sealed in the 94th minute, means Germany will face the runners-up of Group C in the Round of 16, while Ivory Coast depart with a positive note despite the loss. Ivorian media praised their own team’s spirit, with *Tagesspiegel* noting that “the Ivorian team fell with their boots on,” even as they singled out one player for criticism . International press echoed the sentiment, with *FAZ* declaring that Germany had “broken Ivory Coast’s heart,” while *El Mundo* hailed the victory as redemption after two failed tournaments .
Undav, the 28-year-old striker who only made his international debut in March, has become the tournament’s breakout story. Once dismissed as lacking fantasy, he now stands as Germany’s first World Cup goalscorer of Yazidi-Kurdish heritage, having worked in a factory while refining his craft. *444.hu* traced his improbable rise, noting that the national coach had recently called him up, but now “he could even start the next match” . *Tagesspiegel* argued that Undav’s role as a super-sub may prove even more valuable than a starting berth, given his ability to change games in an instant .
The victory also marks a psychological turning point for a German side that had struggled to qualify for the knockout stages in its last two major tournaments. *taz* described the team as having “an aura from the bench,” while *Die Zeit* questioned whether Undav’s impact signals the emergence of a new, resilient German identity at this World Cup . With the Round of 16 now within sight, the question is no longer whether Germany can progress, but how far this late bloomer and his teammates can go.