Germany ran riot as they clashed with debutant minnows Curaçao in an emphatic 7-1 victory last time out. Although Dick Advocaat’s side did equalise through Livano Comenencia on 21 minutes, their class ultimately shone through.
Thoughts of the biggest upset in World Cup history were distinguished as Nico Schlotterbeck and Kai Havertz got on the scoresheet before the break. Further strikes from Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, Denis Undaz and Havertz ensured The Eleven made a promising start to their FIFA World Cup campaign as they emphasised their attacking credentials.
Les Éléphants also triumphed in their opener but did so in contrasting fashion, scrapping past Ecuador with a narrow 1-0 win. It was Amad Diallo’s strike in the closing stages which proved to be the difference in an encouraging performance which bodes well ahead of this crucial clash.
Will Germany continue with their positive momentum, or will Côte d’Ivoire spring a surprise and book their place in the knockout stages for the first time in their history?
Team news
Germany
There are no injury concerns for Germany heading into this one with Julian Nagelsmann expected to remain unchanged.
Deniz Undav has stated a claim for the starting berth at striker following two goals and two assists having come off of the bench against Curaçao yet Kai Havertz is still expected to lead the line.
Undav staked his claim for a starting role in their group stage opener (Photo by Hakan Akgun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
They have a wealth of options to call upon from the bench as well with Leon Goretzka, Nick Woltemade and David Raum among those capable of making an impact.
Côte d’Ivoire
A cloud of uncertainty remains over Emerse Fae‘s squad selection with Nice striker Elye Wahi under investigation for alleged spot-fixing in a Ligue 1 meeting with Metz in May.
Despite initially being refused entry, Canadian authorities have since granted the 23-year-old permission to enter the country but he faces stiff competition from the likes of Evann Guessand and Oumar Diakite.
Manchester United’s Amad is expected to start this clash with the four-time world champions after surprisingly being named on the bench in their curtain-raiser triumph over Ecuador.
Likely Line-ups
Germany: Manuel Neuer; Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck, Nathaniel Brown; Felix Nmecha, Aleksandar Pavlovic; Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz; Kai Havertz
Côte d’Ivoire: Yahia Fofana; Guela Doue, Wilfred Singo, Emmanuel, Ghislain Konan; Yan Diomande, Franck Kessie, Seko Fofana, Amad Diallo; Nicolas Pepe, Elye Wahi
Frightening forward line key to progression
The pressure was on for the Germans ahead of their opener having failed miserably in the past two iterations, falling at the first hurdle in Russia and Qatar.
However, those fears quickly faded as Florian Wirtz, Musiala, Leroy Sané and Havertz combined seamlessly with a growing chemistry beginning to emerge among their attacking quartet.
While their opponents do have to be taken into consideration here, Germany were ruthless and their xG of 3.91 with 26 attempts on goal indicative of a nation who will be taking the game to their opponents in North America.
An eye-catching win in Texas (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Wirtz may not have justified his £116 million price tag for Liverpool this summer but in the right-wing role he was the driving force behind Germany’s brightest attacking moments.
This impressive showing could be a signal to incoming boss Andoni Iraola that his versatility across the forward line doesn’t confine him to playing in the attacking midfield position.
Aided by the confidence boost for ex-Brighton frontman Undav who shone as a substitute, Germany’s forward line will certainly have a spring in their step as they look to break down a resolute Côte d’Ivoire rearguard.
Winning ugly vital to Éléphants success
Even though Côte d’Ivoire did show glimpses of their attacking potential particularly through the highly sought-after Yan Diamonde, Les Éléphants didn’t set the world alight against Ecuador.
It is key to recognise how this is their first World Cup appearance since 2014 and are desperate to progress to the knockout stages and will do so at all costs.
It highlights the quality of a strong team when results can still be ground out despite not being at their best and they will be glad this clash with the Germans is not a must-win one with a favourable final group stage clash with Curaçao on the horizon.
Getting over the line in dramatic fashion (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Maintaining defensive stability through a combative midfield spearheaded by the ever-reliable Franck Kessie, this will allow them to absorb German forays into the final third and also exploit any spaces their opponents leave behind from being far up the pitch.
Most importantly though, Côte d’Ivoire are not driven by free-flowing attacking football with results being more crucial for a nation who have failed to shine on the biggest stage to date.
Match information
When is the match?
The match will kick-off at 21:00 BST on Saturday, 20 June.
How can I watch?
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the fixture will be broadcast live on ITV 1. VAVEL will also be offering comprehensive coverage during and after the game.
Where is the match?
The Toronto Stadium will play host to this Group E clash – most recently the setting for Canada’s 6-0 victory over Qatar.