World Cup 2026: Germany through, Netherlands & Japan impress, Curacao make history

15 shots on target but no goals for Ecuador - the stats

Ecuador 0-0 Curacao

Elsewhere in Group E, minnows Curacao held Ecuador to a goalless draw to claim their first ever point at the World Cup finals.

The South Americans had 27 shots, 15 on target and finished with an xG of 2.9, yet were unable to find a way past inspired Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room...

Undav goal 'self-inflicted wound' for Ivory Coast

Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast

Efan Ekoku

Former Nigeria striker on BBC 5 Radio Live

Speaking on the winning goal and the pass from Felix Nmecha to find Deniz Undav:

It was a superb pass, just how strikers like it.

It gave the defence very little time to adjust and they can’t come and close you down.

It helps when you have quite a lot of space but you’re fighting with pace.

Undav used his instincts of a striker and knew exactly where he was and hit it. He knew nothing about where the goalkeeper was, just doing what he thought was right.

It was a self-inflicted wound from Ivory Coast.

The last few minutes, the manager has to tell the boys a draw is a great result, if they do something special, they accept that but do not give them cheap access to the penalty area.

'Pressure to start Undav just going to increase on Nagelsmann'

Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast

Raphael Honigstein

German football journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

On Deniz Undav:

He does [keep delivering]. It's not going to make Julian Nagelsmann's position any easier because he has been insisting that Undav is a sub. He can turn around and once again say 'look I brought him on and he decided the game for us, that's exactly what he needs to do otherwise I prefer Kai Havertz'.

I think Havertz did enough in this game to hold on to his starting position but, of course, every game that Undav scores, the pressure to start him is just going to increase on Nagelsmann.

Undav lets his football do the talking - Germany's super sub

Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast

Adwaidh Rajan

BBC Sport

It was not long ago that he was being publicly called out by manager Julian Nagelsmann - but Deniz Undav is proving himself a key player for Germany at the World Cup.

Undav's double in the dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Ivory Coast again underlined his value, sending Die Mannschaft into the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time since their victorious 2014 campaign.

With three goals and two assists, the striker has five goal involvements in two appearances off the bench - the joint-most by a substitute at a World Cup since 1966 (tying Cameroon's Roger Milla in 1990).

But the 29-year-old's place in Germany's World Cup squad was far from certain after a public row with Nagelsmann following his last-gasp winner as a substitute against Ghana in March.

Undav had spoken openly of his ambition to push for a starting role with Germany - only for the former RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich manager to respond by warning he was placing unnecessary pressure on himself with such comments.

Nagelsmann suggested Undav would not have scored had he played from the start, before later revealing he had apologised to the forward.

And Undav has since let his football do the talking - in emphatic fashion.

Read the full feature here.

'Undav the difference'

Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast

Andros Townsend

Former England winger on ITV

Speaking just before the final whistle about Deniz Undav's stoppage-time winner:

Undav has been the difference since he came on. Two very different goals, both brilliant, that have surely given his side the three points.

As it builds up, Felix Nmecha turns, wraps a ball in, his [Undav's] turn is brilliant and the finish is even better. That is the space they haven't had in the game, in between the lines. A brilliant goal.

Analysis: Nagelsmann's inspired changes rescue Germany

Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast

Adwaidh Rajan

BBC Sport

Germany put on a show in their opener as they delivered a thrashing of Curacao for the biggest win of the opening round.

But an exciting Ivory Coast side, brimming with the confidence from a late victory against Ecuador in their opener, posed an altogether different challenge.

Yan Diomande, linked with a move to Liverpool, showcased his pace and raw ability on the left flank for the Ivorians, while Manchester United winger Amad Diallo, Franck Kessie and 20-year-old Christ Inao Oulai all caused problems for the German defence that has now kept just one clean sheet in its past six matches.

Ultimately though, Germany were rescued by the quality of their substitutes.

With his side trailing 1-0, manager Julian Nagelsmann made a triple change in the 60th minute, bringing on Jamie Leweling, Naiem Amiri and Deniz Undav - with the latter duo combining for the equaliser only eight minutes later.

Undav then struck a second to take his tally to nine goals in just 11 appearances for Germany and make his case for a starting spot again, helping his side put embarrassing group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022 behind them.

Ivory Coast, meanwhile, can take a lot of heart from their performance despite the last-gasp defeat.

This group of players remain well-placed to achieve a feat that eluded the likes of Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure and Salomon Kalou before them - taking their country to the knockout stages of a World Cup.

Can Germany recreate 2014 success?

Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast

It’s been a long 12‑year wait for Germany to reach the knockout rounds again, and the 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast finally secured their return.

The last time they advanced from the group stage, they went on to win the entire tournament.

Their 2014 triumph famously included the 7-1 demolition of hosts Brazil in the semi‑finals- a scoreline they matched against Curaçao in their 2026 opener.

Let’s take a look back at how Germany powered their way to a fourth World Cup title in 2014 - can they do it again this time around?:

2014 World Cup group stage

Germany 4-0 Portugal

Germany 2-0 Ghana

USA 0-1 Germany

Round of 16

Germany 2-1 Algeria

Quarter-final

France 0-1 Germany

Semi-final

Brazil 1-7 Germany

Final

Germany 1-0 Argentina

'Still a lot to do before Germany seen as contenders'

Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast

Raphael Honigstein

German football journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

It’s nice to see Germany qualify for the knockouts for a change, it’s been such a long time.

It used to be formality, but you have to be thankful after those two bad World Cups.

It’s was an intriguing game and intriguing result, Germany going through after two games is fine and it’s going to give Nagelsmann time to reflect and maybe make one or two changes.

The performance was so uneven and so unconvincing in spells, that a lot of the debates going into the tournament are still going to be rekindled or furthered by this performance.

There’s still a lot to do before Germany can be seen as proper contenders on the evidence from the game.

Sub Undav scores twice as Germany beat Ivory Coast to reach last 32

Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast

Adwaidh Rajan

BBC Sport

Substitute Deniz Undav emerged as Germany's hero with a dramatic stoppage-time winner that completed his side's stunning comeback win against Ivory Coast and booked their place in the World Cup knockout stages.

The four-time winners endured a frustrating outing after going behind to a 30th-minute goal from Ivory Coast captain Franck Kessie but Julian Nagelsmann turned to his bench in search of a response - and Undav delivered emphatically with a second-half double.

The Stuttgart forward applied a smart finish to fellow substitute Nadiem Amiri's cross to break Ivory Coast's resistance in the 68th minute before scoring the winner in the 94th minute to inflict a painful defeat on the African nation.

Undav had also scored a goal and provided two assists after coming off the bench in their 7-1 opening win against Curacao.

The dejected Ivorians can still progress from Group E behind Germany with a win against World Cup debutants Curacao in their final game.

Defeat & elimination caps miserable week for Tunisia

Tunisia 0-4 Japan

Adam Millington

BBC Sport journalist

Tunisia's miserable World Cup continued as their inability to progress from the group stage was confirmed by defeat against Japan.

After a tumultuous week in which they suffered a 5-1 defeat by Sweden, sacked Sabri Lamouchi and appointed ex-Saudi Arabia boss Herve Renard as head coach, it took less than four minutes for them to go behind in Guadalupe, Mexico.

An impressive Japan, who were well drilled throughout, broke the deadlock with a quick counter-attack which ended in Crystal Palace's Daichi Kamada prodding home from close range at Monterrey Stadium.

It did not take long for a dominant Japan side to inflict a second blow as Ayase Ueda produced a lovely finish to arrow the ball through the legs of a defender and into the far corner from the edge of the box.

Tunisia looked devoid of ideas for much of the game and gifted Japan ample space, which they used to display their free-flowing possession-based style.

Junya Ito added another when he rolled a simple finish past Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen after being threaded through one-on-one.

And Ueda wrapped up victory when he tucked a looping header into the far corner.

Watch: Impressive Japan run riot to eliminate Tunisia

Tunisia 0-4 Japan

As promised, here are the highlights from Japan's 4-0 win over Tunisia, which included an opening goal from Crystal Palace's Daichi Kamada and two from Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda, either side of a tap-in from Genk's Junya Ito.

Japan's comfortable win in Monterrey puts them on four points, meaning they are likely at least to progress as one of the best third-placed sides, but they will hope to earn a guaranteed spot in the last 32 when they take on Sweden on Friday in their final group game.

Click here to read article