Four-time world champion Germany will secure group victory in Group E with victory over Ivory Coast in Toronto.
Die Mannschaft swept Curaçao 7-1 in their opening match, eventually winning comfortably – after first seeing the lead equalised by the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup.
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But Julian Nagelsmann’s team are not the only ones with their eyes set on the round of 32. Ivory Coast settled the game late on against Ecuador and won 1-0 in their first game – meaning that a draw here will most likely secure the Elephants a place in the playoffs for the first time in the nation’s history.
Emerse Fae’s team had luck several times against their South American opponents, but they will no doubt be a tough challenge for any opponent.
Liverpool’s wanted Yan Diomande impressed from the start against Ecuador, while Manchester United player Amad Diallo came in from the bench and scored the winning goal.
Germany team news
Nagelsmann has no injuries to worry about and will field a full squad. He thus names an unchanged team from the opening match against Curaçao.
Germany (XI): Neuer – Brown, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Kimmich – Pavlovic, Nmecha – Sané, Musiala, Wirtz – Havertz
Ivory Coast team news
Striker Elye Wahi is available after the decision to deny him entry to Canada was overturned. He starts on the bench, while Diallo – the match-winner against Ecuador – comes into the starting eleven.
Côte d’Ivoire (XI): Y. Fofana – Konan, Singo, Kossounou, Agbadou – Kessie, Sangaré, Oulai – Bonny, Y. Diomande, Diallo
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Key figures – Germany vs. Ivory Coast
- Ivory Coast are chasing their first win in several World Cup matches ever.
- Germany have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last seven World Cup matches.
- Die Mannschaft have won their last ten games – the longest winning streak since a 12-game run between May 1979 and June 1980 under Josef Derwall.
- Germany have not won their first two World Cup matches since 2006, when they beat Costa Rica and Poland on their way to the semi-finals.
- This will be only the second meeting between Germany and Ivory Coast. Their only previous fixture was a 2–2 friendly in November 2009.
- Germany have lost only one of eight World Cup matches against African opponents (five wins, two draws). The loss came against Algeria in 1982 (1–2).
- Ivory Coast has one win in four World Cup matches against European teams (one draw, two losses). That victory came over Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 (3-2) – after they had already been knocked out of the group stage.
