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Undav Nets Injury-Time Winner, Nagelsmann Apologises

6/22/2026

Summary

Undav Scores Winner

Deniz Undav scored the injury-time winner for Germany against Ivory Coast in Toronto.
Undav entered as a substitute and equalised in the 68th minute from a Nadiem Amiri cross.
Felix Nmecha delivered the pass that Undav turned into the decisive strike.
Undav has three goals and two assists in 56 minutes, including a goal against Curaçao.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann, who criticised Undav, apologised and now calls Undav a pure striker.

History

Undav Makes History

Emerse Faé condemned Germany’s conduct, saying they should have returned possession after throw-in.
Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck left at halftime with an injury, leading coach Julian Nagelsmann to order scans.
Toronto Stadium crowd was 43,036, with colours north and Ivory Coast fans south.
Deniz Undav, whose parents are Yazidis, became the first Yazidi to play for Germany.
Goalkeeper Yahia Fofana made key saves, including denying a header from Kai Havertz.

Summary

Faé Deploys Youth

Coach Emerse Faé fielded the tournament’s youngest squad, averaging 25.35 years, against Germany.
Nineteen-year-old Yan Diomande started left and 23-year-old Amad Diallo started right, reflecting the coach’s reliance on youth.
Former France youth international Ange-Yoan Bonny debuted as a second-half substitute versus Ecuador and then started versus Germany.
Twenty-year-old Christ Inao Oulaï replaced Seko Fofana as base-midfield pivot, posting 73 touches, eight defensive actions and a 90 % pass rate.

History

Historical Context

After Berti Vogts’s youthful Germany fell 0-3 to Croatia in the 1998 World Cup quarter-finals, the nation endured another low point when the 2018 squad exited at the group stage—the first such failure since 1938. Joachim Löw’s later emphasis on young talent continued under Julian Nagelsmann, who debuted striker Deniz Undav in a 2024 Toronto friendly.

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Undav Scores Winner

Deniz Undav scored the injury-time winner for Germany against Ivory Coast in Toronto.
Undav entered as a substitute and equalised in the 68th minute from a Nadiem Amiri cross.
Felix Nmecha delivered the pass that Undav turned into the decisive strike.
Undav has three goals and two assists in 56 minutes, including a goal against Curaçao.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann, who criticised Undav, apologised and now calls Undav a pure striker.

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