Africans brilliant and ahead with Kessie’s goal, but in the second half Nagelsmann comes off the bench and the Stuttgart player’s brace qualifies Germany
Eleventh victory in a row and early qualification, Germany does not stop, launched by Undav, but before thinking about the future they must look inside themselves because after the 7-1 in Curaçao they risk losing against a very brilliant Ivory Coast, who know how to combine physical strength with quality. It would have deserved something more, when it slowed down after an hour it was joined by Undav, Nagelsmann’s usual happy reserve and then was mocked in the 94th minute by a brace from the Stuttgart striker. At least a draw would have been fairer. The character of the Germans once again prevails.
THE SURPRISE
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The Africans were also at three points before the start, they have a starlet who plays in the Bundesliga and his name is Yan Diomande, he is 19 years old and Leipzig values him at 100 million. The boy, who wrote a touching letter to his missing sister, prepares Kessie’s 1-0 in the half hour, he has been the number one threat for days, because they have seen him all season, they know his explosive starts and slashes into the middle of the area. Nagelsmann had also tried the five-man closure in training, but in Toronto the line remains at four, or rather three under construction because Brown is almost a left attacking midfielder. However, his colleague Faé’s move is to put Diomande on the left, with Diallo on the other side, because Kimmich sometimes leaves space behind him, but above all he is more limited in planning the action, a task thus left more to Pavlovic. At the first real profitable sprint Diomande hits low and strong; Diallo was blocked by Brown, but Kessie was behind him and took advantage of the rebound for his sixteenth international goal. Germany at a disadvantage and also disunited, unable to immediately organize a reaction, in fact they risked ending up on the spit on the restart, but Neuer was not enchanted by Bonny. When Havertz finds the equaliser, there is a clear foul on Kossounou earlier. Germany didn’t go beyond regret, but at least they returned to Fofana’s area and closed a moment before the break with a quality phrase which was however nullified by a shot from Wirtz. But Germany’s strength should concern the offensive phase: the 7-1 in Curaçao is not history, the Germans will not have the dominant star like Messi or Mbappé but many exquisite players who together can combine their qualities with those of their teammates and offer an excellent product. But Wirtz is in the shadow, Havertz doesn’t often free himself and the Ivorians manage to shackle their opponents, taking away space near the goal: they leave the dribble, but continually disturb the touches in the narrow.
THE MOVES
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The Ivorian coach Faé makes five changes compared to the success against Ecuador, Inter player Bonny and Atalanta Kossounou benefit from this, while Ndicka remains on the bench. Bonny is less flashy than the two young wingers, but he works as a three in keeping the German defenders under pressure; another one who gives strength and push is Kessie, not only for the net. He is on the center right in midfield, absorbs with a vertical movement the opposition’s intrusions which are more insistent on that side than in the other sector, and manages to distance the Wirtz-Musiala duo when he is in the area to attack Neuer. Even at the beginning of the second half the former AC Milan player tore the German midfield to shreds. The Ivorian 4-3-3 has one more midfielder compared to the debut with the 4-4-2, a useful setup in blocking the centre, with Sangaré shorter and body-guard also in front of the area. And even at the beginning of the second half Ivory Coast was in command, easily entering the area, missing the second goal several times and then paying. Nagelsmann also takes away Musiala when he seems more inspired than Wirtz, Havertz does not capitalize on an incorrect exit from Fofana with his head, but it is precisely from two new players (Amiri for Undav) that the equalizer comes. Brown, Amiri and Adingra miss the 2-1, then Undav thinks about it again.
the match
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Challenge for the lead in the group between the two teams that won their debut. Germany beat Curaçao 7-1 thanks to a goal cooperative in which Havertz stood out, scoring a brace. Ivory Coast, on the other hand, beat Ecuador only in injury time thanks to a goal from former Atalanta player Diallo.
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