Germany looked destined for a frustrating afternoon against Ivory Coast before one man emerged from the bench to rescue the four-time world champions on Saturday evening.
But then ‘super-sub’ Deniz Undav delivered a classic performance to fire his side to a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast and secure their place in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup.
Footage on social media from the German supporters’ stands showed the moment, deep into the dying seconds of extra time, when Undav scored the winning goal. Crowds of white shirts were seen erupting as the four-time world champions secured their place in the round of 32.
Scenes from fan parks in Germany shared similar emotions, just scaled up by the thousands as home fans watched their team make yet another knockout round of the World Cup. Tense, balled-up fists with chins resting on them were seen across the fan parks before Undav’s winning goal.
But that quickly changed into excitement and happiness after the Stuttgart striker found the back of the net for the second time in half an hour.
Despite Germany’s control, a combination of resilient defending and wasteful finishing left them chasing the game deep into the second half.
The striker immediately injected urgency and purpose into Germany’s attack. His movement unsettled the Ivorian defence and, in the 68th minute, he finally broke through with the equaliser that brought Germany back to life.
While many would have settled for a point, Undav had other ideas. As stoppage time approached, Germany continued to pile on the pressure and the substitute once again found himself in the right place at the right time.
His late winner sparked wild celebrations among German players and supporters, completing a remarkable comeback and underlining his growing importance to the team.
The performance has intensified calls for Nagelsmann to hand Undav a starting role in Germany’s final group match against Ecuador.
For now, however, the striker can enjoy the title of Germany’s ultimate super-sub. Two appearances, two goals, and one match-winning masterclass later, Undav has become one of the standout substitutes of the tournament so far.
Jehran Naidoo is sports reporter for Independent Media and social media coordinator of the our YouTube channel The Clutch
