Does Nagelsmann have a decision to make?
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Like Mikel Arteta at club level, he loves what Havertz offers as roving centre-forward but you cannot dispute Undav’s eye for goal and the form he is in. The “problem” is he has built a reputation as a super sub, so that could count against him when it comes to starting more games.
With six points on the board though, the Ecuador game might be a chance for Nagelsmann to have a look at it.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) June 20, 2026Deniz Undav came off the bench in the 60th minute with Germany trailing against Ivory Coast 🇩🇪🤯
He left with two goals and now has more goal involvements as a substitute at this World Cup (5) than any other player 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/Ukn7a7wr8v
FT: Germany 2 Ivory Coast 1
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Germany through to the knockout stages, and they will have a great chance to progress as group winners after a hard-fought victory. There was little between the teams in a contest that ebbed and flowed, a draw would have been a fair result but Nmecha and Undav produced the moment of magic at the end. Ivory Coast will rue Adingra and Kessi taking heavy touches in the box when there were chances to score the second.
96 minutes: Germany 2 Ivory Coast 1
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The six minutes are up, but there will be some more football to play after the goal and the celebrations.
GOOOALL! Undav the man of the moment
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With two minutes to play, Deniz Undav looks to have won it for Germany. It is going to be a close offside call, he was on the shoulder of the last defender, and he was picked out by a fantastic disguises pass from Nmecha into the box. Ideal touch, spin, and an unerring left-footed finish.
And replays show he was onside comfortably. Germany lead at the death.
93 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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Wirtz fouled, and Germany have the chance to monopolise possession in Ivory Coast’s half. Three minutes for either side to find the winner.
90 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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An even better chance for Germany! The game is see-sawing back and forth. Fofana made a mess of a simple piece of control in midfield and suddenly Germany had a four-on-three. Wirtz tees up Amiri, who tried to pass the ball into the corner but it was too close to Fofana.
Six minutes of added time to play.
89 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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Germany’s turn to threaten: Nathaniel Brown with a low strike across Fofana, and he got down well to push the ball away from danger. Good goalkeeping.
88 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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Great chance goes begging for Ivory Coast! Tah made a mistake on the halfway line, kicking fresh air, allowing Pepe to gallop away down the left. The winger had options, but rather than shoot he made the right decision, picking out Adingra in acres of space in the box. It was there for a two-touch finish, but his first touch bounced off him.
87 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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Guessand penalised for a foul on Nmecha, but there was very little in it. Germany got away with that, in a dangerous area of the pitch had they lost the ball.
85 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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Diomande’s work is done, replaced by former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe. Nagelmann has also made another change with Goretzka replacing Havertz.
We saw enough from Diomande to know why some of Europe’s biggest clubs are keen.
Undav with a shot from range, straight at the goalkeeper.
84 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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Singo has his shirt pulled up over his head on the bench, replaced by Doue. That could well be his tournament over if it is a standard three-week absence for a hamstring pull. Ivory Coast do have a corner though, after Tah clears a dangersous cross from the left. Havertz helps them clear.
80 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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Singo with a terrific recovery to catch up Havertz and brush off the Arsenal man, but in the process I think he has tweaked his hamstring. That is a shame, because he has been one of Ivory Coast’s best players over the first two games.
77 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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Wirtz may have comitted a foul, then it looked like he was fouled, but the referee decides to let everything go. Wirtz has not had his best game, but Nagelsmann has trusted him to stay on.
Diomande has not switched to the right and he had a chance to run at Tah, but he slowed down and played square.
75 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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The game has now resumed.
Ivory Coast have made a tripe sub: Bonny, Amad and Sangare the players to come off, Guessand, Fofana and Adingra on. Ivory Coast made five changes between games so they have plenty of depth.
70 minutes: Germany 1 Ivory Coast 1
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Germany have the wind in their sails now, and the last thing they need is the upcoming hydration break.
And here it is. Boos from the Germany fans. Ivory Coast can regroup and go again. The game is there for either side to grasp.
GOOOAALL! Undav proves the super sub
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The man with 19 Bundesliga goals last season comes to Germany’s rescue. The combination for Havertz and Undav together in the box makes them far more dangerous from crosses, and Amiri’s ball from the right was a peach. Havertz took a defender to the near post, but the ball arced over his head for Undav to volley into the roof of the net from close range.
66 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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If anything, Ivory Coast’s second half has been ever more impressive, but they are not over the line just yet. Germany might need a set-piece or a moment of brilliance and they have another corner.
64 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Germany have another corner, they are just starting to crank up the pressure even if they are not playing with the quality of the first half. With Undav and Havertz on, they can be more direct.
Kimmich’s delivery to the back post floats over the head of Fofana, but Havertz nods wide. Was always back-poeddling buy he should have directed that on target.
59 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Germany win successive corners after a better spell of possession. Wirtz finding Musiala in the box, but neither player has been able to produce a decisive moment. Fofana claims the corner.
Nagelsmann makes a triple change: Undav, Leweling and Amiri replace Pavlovic, Sane and Musiala.
56 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Germany are clinging on by their fingertips every time Ivory Coast attack, but the boys in orange have lacked the ruthlessness and composure in the box to finish them off. You sense Germany will have another strong spell before too long.
54 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Sane floats a dangerous cross to the back post, returned by Wirtz, but it had too much heat on it for Havertz to control in the six yard box.
Amad then gets the better of Brown in his duel with the Germany left-back, and Kessie is unmarked again in the box, Nmecha and Rudiger do enough to put him off.
51 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Another promising Ivory Coast attack, Kessie started with move with a driving run through midfield, and he almost finished it after he was teed up by Amad. Tah did enough to partially block the shot and take the power out of it. Germany struggling to find their earlier poise.
And that was an even better chance for Ivory Coast! Oulai with a burst forward, one-two with Amad, but he scooped his shot over the bar.
49 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Nathaniel Brown has been one of Germany’s best attacking outlets, but after Musiala chops inside Sangare is the right man in the right place to make a vital block. From the corner, Germany take a short one but Kimmich floats a cross straight into the gloves of Fofana.
47 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Ivory Coast on the front foot at the start of the half, Tah forced into an awkward pass back to Neuer and the Musiala has the ball taken off his toe on halfway. Germany having to work very hard to keep the ball.
We are back under way
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Only one team has won after conceding first at the World Cup: South Korea against Czech Republic.
Half-time change from Germany
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Belatedly, Rudiger has replaced Schlotterbeck who suffered that ankle twist early in the game.
The curse of the hydration break strikes again
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Ivory Coast deserve their lead and have defended resiliently after taking the lead.
Yan Diomande’s moment of invention proved the difference and he wants to run at Joshua Kimmich every time he gets the ball.
One minor moan again – the controversial hydration break was also a big moment. Germany did have momentum but lost it during the break and it was the Ivory Coast who came out stronger. It has happened too many times at this World Cup to be a coincidence.
HT: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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A very competitive, high-quality game. Germany have had some aesthetically pleasing passing moves and spells of control, but Ivory Coast are dangerous in the one-on-ones, especially when Diomande squares up Kimmich. Ivory Coast have also defended their box well. Hard to call from here.
45+7 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Intricate football from Germany at the edge of the box, Sane dribbling inside, finding Nmecha, and his backheel picks out Wirtz in the box but he could not quite dig the ball from under his feet. No power in the shot.
45+5 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Germany deal with the corner, before Diomande gives Kimmich a headache with a stepover down the left. Germany’s right-back sticks to his task and wins a throw in.
45+3 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Musiala and his team-mates want a free-kick or possibly a penalty, but his fall was delayed.
Then Ivory Coast come forward and win a corner. Kessie with a pass down the side of the defence but the angle narrowed on Bonny who should have hit the shot earlier.
45+1 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Sane goes on the outside down the right and his blocked cross wins Germany a corner. Taken short, Kimmich floats a cross in, but Ivory Coast defend and Singo dribbles his way out of trouble.
45 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Germany continue to get into promising areas but they are being made to work very hard to create clear chances. There will be SEVEN minutes of added time.
42 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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End-to-end stuff, one of the best games of the tournament so far. Amad was a one-man counter-attack, but Brown held him up before Nmecha won the ball cleanly. Then Musiala beats his man and the ball runs for Wirtz to shoot at the edge of the box. His first touch was a little heavy, and his effort deflected wide.
40 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Kai Havertz tucked the ball away and thought he had equalised for Germany, but Musiala had fouled Kossounou in the build up. The referee waited for the ball to hit the net before blowing the whistle, but it was the right decision. Musiala tripped the defender on the edge of the box.
38 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Pavlovic down in a heap in midfield but the referee says play on, and Diomande is leading the charge on the counter-attack. His pass to Bonny is a little behind the forward, who has to step back as he goes for the curler. Neuer read it, and stepped across to catch the ball cleanly.
35 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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Schlotterbeck is still on the pitch, no change as yet from Nagelsmann. Germany pressing and pushing forward in search of an equaliser, but they know that any mistake in possession could be punished on the break.
32 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 1
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That was perhaps another example of the game’s pattern changing after a hydration break, Germany had the game and the ball under control before the interval. Now the game is set up perfectly.
Yan Diomande has added another few million to his price tag there.
He has actually made an underwhelming start but that was an electric run down the left. Magic out of nowhere.
GOOOAALLL! Ivory Coast strike against the run of play
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Diomande took some heavy touches early in the game, but his menacing low cross creates this goal. Drops a shoulder to beat Kimmich on the outside, before whipping the ball through the six-yard box. Amad really should have scored from a few yards out, Brown made a great block, but Kessie was there to tuck home the rebound.
28 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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We are back under way after the hydration break, and Antonio Rudiger is getting ready to come on. That suggests Schlotterbeck was assessed during the break.
25 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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Time for the first hydration break, which is an inconvenient pause in a game being played at a good tempo. Loud boos from the fans, which is becoming a feature of every World Cup game.
24 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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Germany are looking more dangerous now and Jamal Musiala is starting to influence the game.
Musiala was outstanding in the opening group match against Curacao and appears in the mood here.
22 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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From that corner, Pavlovic helps bundle the ball into the net but a foul is called by the referee on the goalkeeper Fofana. I’m not sure the goalkeeper was in full control of the ball or the situation, but Pavlovic did not win a clean header and made contact with the goalkeeper.
20 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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Pavlovic making Germany tick from the base of midfield, and Nagelsmann’s team have a grip on the game at the moment. They are finding joy with rotations down their left, Wirtz drifting in and Brown staying wide. Then Nmecha has a dig from 25 yards and his shot deflects on to the roof of the net. Germany an attractive watch.
17 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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Lovely football through midfield from Germany, Wirtz sucking Singo in before flicking the ball forward for Brown to fly forward from left-back. His cutback was just behind Musiala and Havertz. Then Musiala plays a one-two with Nmecha, before bending a shot not far wide of the corner.
14 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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Schlotterbeck’s race might be run, it looked like a twist of his right ankle in a challenge with Amad. Anton and Rudiger are warming up on the touchline. Schlotterbeck has taken a couple of tablets so maybe he wants to soldier on.
12 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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Germany have an injury concern, Schlotterbeck is not moving well. Ivory Coast then threaten down their left, Diomande feeding Konan on the overlap, and his teasing cross was headed straight down by Nathaniel Brown. Kessie arrived to hit it first time, but his shot was blocked.
10 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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Havertz with half a chance for Germany, picked out by a well-judged Kimmich cross, but the header came of his shoulder and in the end it was a simpler save for Fofana than it initially looked.
Singo then fouls Musiala on halfway.
7 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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Germany settling into sustained spell of possession, most of it in front of Ivory Coast’s shape. Kimmich is playing as an orthodox right-back so far, no inverting into midfield, which shows Germany respect the threat offered by Diomande.
The Bonny does ever so well to bustle beyond the sliding challenge of Tah, but Ivory Coast fail to turn his cross into an effort on goal.
Rather shaky start from Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.
He doesn’t look at all convincing with his kicking and appears slightly vulnerable under pressure
4 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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Kimmich tries to be aggressive with his first challenge, but on the next phase of play Diomande drops a shoulder and gets to the byline beyond the Bayern Munich man. His low cross is cleared, but Ivory Coast’s threat is evident.
Kessie then breaks in behind down the right with a burst from midfield but the flag goes up for offside belatedly.
2 minutes: Germany 0 Ivory Coast 0
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Diomande shows his quality early on, keeping the ball near the touchline and weaving his way through pressure.
Germany seeing more of the ball in the early exchanges, though. Havertz dropping deep a la Harry Kane, and Nmecha picks up a second ball after they target Sane with a longer pass.
KICK OFF!
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Germany get the game started, and within 20 seconds Havertz shoots on the turn but he hooks the ball over the bar from the edge of the box.
The teams are out in Toronto
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The scale of the stadiums in the United States is startling, but I have really liked the look of the venues across the border in Toronto and Vancouver. A little more compact, you could fool yourself into thinking you were watching the Euros.
Can Ivory Coast target Germany’s full-backs?
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Amad on the right and Diomande on the left will be major threats, and make Ivory Coast’s formation resemble a 4-2-4 at times.
Joshua Kimmich is wily and a superb player, but he is not a natural one-on-one defender.
Left-back has been a problem position for years for Germany – Nagelsmann even used Havertz there once – but there is hope Nathaniel Brown can provide the solution. This will be a test for him.
Not sure Germany have had a top class full-back since Lahm.
Diallo heroics earn start against Germany
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Ivory Coast will be hoping to build on their impressive albeit fortuitous victory against Ecuador in their opening game.
Manchester United’s Amad Diallo snatched victory for Emerse Faé’s side with a superb strike in the 90th minute after the South American side, previously unbeaten in two years, had struck the woodwork three times.
Diallo’s heroics have earned him a place in the side this evening, having started the opening game on the bench.
Rampant Netherlands tear Potter’s Sweden to pieces
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In the first match of the day, Netherlands stamped their mark on this year’s World Cup with an emphatic victory over Sweden, as Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo struck twice in Houston.
Read Telegraph Sport’s full match report here.
Havertz enjoys fast start
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Kai Havertz was one of seven players to bag a brace in the opening round of games, with only Lionel Messi scoring more across those fixtures. Can the Arsenal man add to his tally this evening?
Nagelsmann on Ivory Coast and Sane criticism
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Discussing Ivory Coast this week, Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann said: “They’ve changed up the way they play in preparation to the tournament and are quite unpredictable.
“They are really strong on the flanks, their energy on and off the ball is extraordinary.”
Asked about criticism of Leroy Sane, he said: “I really didn’t like the criticism about Leroy Sané after the last match.
“I feel like there is always something people want to criticise about him. Whether it’s his goal numbers or his work ethic.
“My opinion is: he played well, he trained well and he will have a good match for us tomorrow.”
Preparations underway
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As it stands in Group E after opening game
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- Germany, +6GD, 3 points
- Ivory Coast, +1GD, 3 points
- Ecuador, -1GD, 0 points
- Curacao, -6GD, 0 points
Unfamiliar foe
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Ivory Coast and Germany have met just once before, playing out a 2-2 draw in a friendly fixture 17 years ago.
Liverpool fans with eye on Diomande
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Liverpool fans will certainly be taking a keener interest in this match tonight.
Yan Diomande is in the Ivory Coast team a few days after Liverpool had an opening bid worth a total £86m rejected by RB Leipzig. They remain optimistic of agreeing a deal, though the transfer fee will clearly need to be larger.
The 19-year-old was named Bundesliga Rookie of the Season after a stellar season and is also wanted by Paris Saint-Germain.
I will also be intrigued to see how Ibrahim Sangare performs. He was at times outstanding for Nottingham Forest this season and these are the type of games where he can have a big impact.
Lineker on ITV
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Gary Lineker is one of the pundits on ITV’s coverage this evening, making his first terrestrial appearance since his exit from the BBC 13 months ago.
Lineker, forced to leave the BBC following his rat emoji anti-Semitism controversy, is in New York filming his Netflix show, The Rest is Football.
Lineker fronted six World Cups in all for the BBC – more than any other BBC broadcaster.
He is in the ITV studio alongside Duncan Ferguson, Gary Neville and Ian Wright. The broadcast started with Lineker pretending to anchor the coverage, before handing over to Laura Woods.
Ivory Coast team news - Diallo among five to come in
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There are five changes to the Ivory Coast team following their 1-0 win over Ecuador, with Kossounou, Sangaré, Diallo, Inao Oulaï and Bonny replacing Doué, Seko Fofana, Touré, Pépé and Wahi.
Germany team news - unchanged from Curacao thumping
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Julian Nagelsmann has stuck with the same starting line-up from the 7-1 victory over Curacao on Sunday.
The stage is set
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This has the feeling of being a pretty decent encounter, which may surprise people.
Germany are on a mission to make up for their last two miserable tournaments while the Ivory Coast have never reached the knockout stages in their history.
Indeed, the Ivory Coast have lost only two of their last 16 matches so they should represent a threat to Germany.
Gary Lineker to be guest on ITV’s World Cup coverage
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Gary Lineker is expected to appear on ITV’s World Cup coverage this weekend.
The former BBC presenter has been invited on as a guest for ITV’s coverage of Germany vs Ivory Coast on Saturday night in what would be his first terrestrial appearance since his exit from the corporation 13 months ago.
Lineker, forced to leave the BBC following his rat emoji anti-Semitism controversy, is in New York filming his Netflix show. Sources suggest he will appear as a guest rather than a full pundit for the Group E clash, with coverage starting at 8pm BST.
Play our predictor
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Germany and Ivory Coast aim to maintain winning start
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Good evening and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live coverage of Germany vs Ivory Coast from Toronto Stadium, with both teams looking to build on winning starts at the World Cup in North America.
Germany have all but secured their progression from the group-stage for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2014 following their first 7-1 win since 2014. Though the semi-final dismantling of host nation Brazil 12 years ago will live longer in the memory, the swatting aside of newcomers Curacao on Sunday was the perfect start for Julian Nagelsmann’s men.
The four-time champions have not been widely tipped for another success this summer, but they are certainly building momentum under Naglesmann, with Sunday’s victory taking their winning run into double digits in a record dating back to September.
The seven-goal haul also meant they overtook Brazil as the leading scorers in World Cup history; a title that was lost after the Seleção’s 3-0 win over Haiti in the early hours of this morning, but one that can be restored with three goals of their own tonight.
However, chances will be harder to come by against Ivory Coast, a team ranked 53 places higher than Curacao and riding high after an impressive albeit fortuitous clean sheet against Ecuador in their opening game.
Manchester United’s Amad Diallo snatched victory for Emerse Faé’s side with a superb strike in the 90th minute after the South American side, previously unbeaten in two years, had struck the woodwork three times.
Though the pressure of progression is now all but lifted from Germany and Ivory Coast, tonight’s match is hugely significant in the battle to top Group E. The group-winners will face a third-placed team in the last 32, while finishing runners-up will set up a match against the second-placed side from Group I, which contains France, Senegal and Norway.