Newcastle United pair Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw have been forced to watch from the bench as Germany came from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in their second World Cup group game. Franck Kessie gave Ivory Coast an early lead, but substitute Deniz Undav scored twice to secure a vital three points for Julian Nagelsmann's side.
Undav and Havertz Lead the Attack
Woltemade has yet to feature in the tournament, with Kai Havertz starting as Germany's first-choice forward and former Stuttgart teammate Undav preferred as the attacking option from the bench. Undav now leads the World Cup scoring charts with three goals, while Havertz has two. Thiaw has also been an unused substitute, even when Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck was replaced through injury against Ivory Coast; Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger was chosen to replace him.
Germany Confirmed as Group Winners
Ecuador's surprise 0-0 draw with Curacao in the other Group E match confirmed Germany as group winners. Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room made 15 saves — the most by any goalkeeper in a 90-minute World Cup match since records began in 1966 — to deny Ecuador, leaving them on the brink of elimination. Germany followed up their 7-1 win over Curacao with another three points, taking them to six. Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 in their opening match but can only match Germany's six points; head-to-head records mean no team can overtake Germany for first place.
Fringe Players May Get Their Chance
With top spot secured, Germany can make wholesale changes without fear of defeat affecting their knockout stage prospects. Nagelsmann is expected to rest key players ahead of a potentially gruelling run, giving fringe players like Woltemade and Thiaw their first taste of World Cup action in the final group match against Ecuador in New Jersey on Thursday evening.
Speaking after the win, Nagelsmann said: "We don’t need to talk about being world-class right now. Three weeks ago, everything was in ruins. The next step is Ecuador, winning the game and completing the tasks that lie ahead. Everything else is beyond our control."
