The German national football team will face Ivory Coast on Saturday (10:00 PM CEST) in their second group match of the 2026 World Cup.
Whether a win would also be enough for first place in the group is uncertain. That depends on the other group match. If Germany beats Ivory Coast, Ecuador would need to defeat Curaçao to keep their chance at the top spot. If Ecuador draws or loses, Germany would be uncatchable at the top. This is due to a FIFA rule change: now the head-to-head record counts. If both Germany and Ecuador win, the South Americans could still overtake Germany with a victory in their final group match on Thursday in New York.
But first, the focus is on the match in Toronto – and on Leroy Sané. The national coach is taking a defensive stance on this personnel issue: before the game, Julian Nagelsmann is defending his winger.
Source: www.faz.net
