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Under a clear Toronto sky in perfect weather conditions, Germany persevered and scored a stoppage time winner, coming from behind to win 2-1 against the Ivory Coast and sealing its place in the Round of 32. The hero? Deniz Undav, as the substitute, made all the difference with a tremendous brace. The four-time World Cup champion and eight-time finalist had a very difficult afternoon against a steel-minded African side, who opened the scoring first thanks to Franck Kessié due to some magic from Yan Diomande. But thanks to a great brace by the substitute Deniz Undav, whose instincts proved to be extremely important, Die Mannschaft made it to the knockout stages for the first time since 2014 – the last time the team won it all. It must be noted that it also now won its 11th straight match in all competitions. Here are my takeaways: 1. Nagelsmann’s Substitutes Paid Off Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, wearing an oversized black tee and looking like he had just came out of an underground art gallery in Williamsburg, made some key decisions in the second half that worked to perfection. Deniz Undav, who plays for Stuttgart, was the key as he replaced Jamal Musiala in the 60th minute and offered a more direct, poaching threat. His first goal came thanks to a cross from Nadiem Amiri’s cross, who also came in as a substitute. Against a strong defensive unit like the Ivory Coast, Nagelsmann knew that eventually, the depth of his squad would offer something different against the tired legs of their opponents, and he was right. 2. Flowers for Felix Nmecha Undav is having quite the tournament, with five goal contributions in less than an hour’s worth of World Cup action. But give some kudos to Borussia Dortmund man Felix Nmecha, who was the best player on the pitch today as he controlled the midfield like a young Michael Ballack. His ability to dribble through pressure and carry the ball is as impressive as his vision. It was his assist that fed Undav’s late winner. A fantastic evening from the 25-year-old star midfielder, who scored in the 7-1 drubbing of Curaçao last week. 3. Despite Loss, Ivory Coast’s Defense Is Strong Despite the loss, I was impressed with Emerse Faé’s tactics and how the Ivory Coast worked without the ball. Their four-man defensive line was in unison and made it hard for the Germans. If you didn’t know this already, this team’s metal-like defending is well known, as this national team qualified for the World Cup without losing a single match and conceded zero goals. It’s diappointing that it conceded the late goal, but there is still a lot more to come from Les Elephants as they still have a shot at second place. The team did get that tough win over Ecuador last week, so there is still all to play for. 4. Diomande Is The Real Deal It’s absolutely not surprising to me that the 19-year-old star – who plays his club football for RB Leipzig in the German Bundesliga – is such a wanted man by many clubs, with Liverpool reportedly leading the race. It’s also not shocking to hear that Leipzig is demanding more than €100 million for his transfer. Diomande is a bolt of lightning, and similar to former Anfield star Luis Díaz in the sense that his ability to penetrate forward is so unpredictable. So again, I can see why Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool wants him so badly. Against Germany, in the first half, he was so good that Nagelsmann had to move Kimmich to the left fullback role until the break in order to see what he had to do to figure him out. It was Diomande’s cross that eventually ended with Kessié for the opener. In the second half, there was less time for him to operate as he now had two players that closed in on him, but once Diallo was substituted, Diomande moved to the right and became more of a threat again. He was quieter, but there is no doubt this is a star in the making. 4 ½. What’s Next Germany will win the group with a point in the last match against Ecuador on Thursday. Ivory Coast’s next match will be massive as it takes on Curaçao with the hope of sealing a spot in the knockout stages.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

SEATTLE STADIUM — Tyler Adams didn’t hesitate. Standing in front of a gaggle of reporters in the bowels of this packed 69,000-seat arena that had just seen the U.S. men’s national team continue what is quickly becoming a glorious 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil — the USA’s 2-0 victory over Australia on a perfectly sunny afternoon marked the first time the Americans have won two straight World Cup games since 1930 — Adams was asked if he’d like play in Thursday’s first round finale vs. Türkiye, at risk of being suspended for the first knockout game should he pick up another yellow card. “I want to play every game, so yeah,” he said. “I managed [to avoid another caution] today, so hopefully I could do it again.” There’s no chance that will happen now. Though beating the Socceroos guaranteed the Stars and Stripes a spot in the knockout stage with a game to spare, Adams couldn’t know at the time the outcome of Friday’s nightcap between the Turks and Paraguay. That match would decide how much the Americans’ next contest even mattered. As it turned out, Paraguay’s 1-0 win clinched Group D for the U.S. regardless of the outcome on Thursday. That means U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino has the rare opportunity to rest his entire starting lineup before the round of 32 if he chooses. Had star attacker Christian Pulisic not been sidelined by a tight left calf in Seattle, Pochettino would’ve rolled out the exact same 11 players in the co-hosts’ first two games. This is the World Cup. Of course, the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager wanted his best players on the field despite the possibility of injury, fatigue and yellow card accumulation. That last one could’ve been particularly vexing. Yellow cards are wiped after the Adams, striker Folarin Balogun, defender Chris Richards and fullback Antonee “Jedi” Robinson were all booked in the Americans’ first two outings. Getting a second group-stage yellow card on Thursday would see them suspended for the Americans’ first elimination match, on July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Accumulated yellow cards are wiped clean after the group stage and after the quarterfinals — but suspensions are not. Even if Pochettino doesn’t admit it when he meets the media on the eve of the next game, it’s now essentially 100 percent guaranteed that he won’t play Adams, Balogun, Richards or Jedi against Türkiye. He can’t. With yellows wiped clean at the conclusion of group play, it’s the only way to ensure that they’re all available for the knockout-round opener. Make no mistake: That game is now everything. Though the vibes in the team and the public right now are “over the roof,” to quote defender Alex Freeman, failing the first do-or-die test would immediately turn this World Cup into a disaster of epic proportions. Making sure that Pulisic can participate when it really counts must be a top priority. Same for Richards, who came into this tournament nursing an ankle injury. The big center back almost certainly wouldn’t have played even if he hadn’t seen yellow in Seattle. There’s also really no reason to use midfielder Weston McKennie, fullback Sergiño Dest, midfielder Malik Tillman or defender and 38-year-old captain Tim Ream in the next match. Keeping the starters as fresh as possible is paramount. So expect plenty of opportunities for others. Premier League starter Brenden Aaronson hasn’t logged a minute of this World Cup yet. Neither have fullback Max Arfsten, center back duo Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson, midfielder Cristian Roldan, goalkeeper Matt Turner or winger Alex Zendejas. Most or even all of them should see some playing time on Thursday, either from the beginning or off the bench as substitutes. If Pochettino wants some continuity, maybe he sticks with goalkeeper Matt Freese rather than throw a bone to Turner, the USA’s No. 1 in 2022. Freese is still relatively green at the highest level, and he just posted the USA’s first clean sheet in 11 tries. Freeman, who scored the Americans’ second goal against the Aussies, is only 21, a physical freak, and seems to get better with each passing game. Surely he can go again if asked. It’s more difficult to make an argument for almost anyone else. In addition to giving the first string more time to recover, playing the understudies would boost morale — especially if they can beat an already eliminated opponent —inside a group that is already clearly flying high. After the U.S. routed two-time World Cup champion Uruguay last November with a lineup that included just three players (Dest, Freeman and Freese) who have started at this World Cup, Pochettino bristled at the notion that this team has “regulars” at all. Yet the fact remains that it’s almost impossible to dole out minutes to everyone at a World Cup, especially since FIFA increased roster sizes to 26 (from 23) four years ago. Pochettino has just been given that luxury. Expect him to take it against Türkiye.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports