Four-time World Cup winners Germany will be looking to secure top-spot in Group E with victory over Ivory Coast in Toronto.
Die Mannschaft saw off minnows Curacao 7-1 in their opening game, eventually running out emphatic winners after initially seeing their opening goal cancelled out by an historic goal for the smallest nation to ever qualify for the tournament.
However, Julian Nagelsmann’s side aren’t the only ones eyeing a spot in the last 32. Ivory Coast left it late to beat Ecuador 1-0 in their first game, meaning avoiding defeat here would all but guarantee the Elephants a place in the knockout phase for the first time in the nation’s history.
Emerse Fae’s side rode their luck at times against their South American opponents, but will provide a stern test for any team.
Liverpool target Yan Diomande impressed from the start against Ecuador, while Manchester United player Amad Diallo came off the bench to score the winner.
Germany team news
Nagelsmann has no injury concerns so has a full squad to choose from and, as such, names an unchanged team from the one that started against Curacao.
Germany XI: Neuer, Brown, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Kimmich, Pavlovic, Nmecha, Sane, Musiala, Wirtz, Havertz
Ivory Coast team news
Forward 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 team.
Ivory Coast XI: Y. Fofana, Konan, Singo, Kossounou, Agbadou, Kessie, Sangare, Oulai, Bonny, Y. Diomande, Diallo
Where to watch Germany v Ivory Coast: TV and online streams
Germany v Ivory Coast kicks off at 9:00pm on Saturday UK time. It will be broadcast on ITV1 and STV. It will be available to stream via ITVX and the STV Player. Sky subscribers can also stream the game via Sky Go.
Stats for Germany v Ivory Coast
- Ivory Coast are aiming to win multiple games at a World Cup for the first time.
- Germany have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last seven World Cup games.
- Die Mannschaft have won their last 10 games, which marks Germany’s longest winning streak since a 12-game run between May 1979 and June 1980 under Josef Derwall.
- Germany have not won their opening two games at a World Cup since 2006, when they beat Costa Rica and Poland en route to reaching the semi-finals.
- This will be only the second meeting between Germany and Ivory Coast, with their only previous encounter coming in a 2-2 friendly draw in November 2009.
- Germany have lost just one of their eight World Cup games against Africa opposition (W5, D2). That defeat came in a 2-1 loss to Algeria in 1982.
- Ivory Coast have claimed one victory from four World Cup games against European opponents (D1, L2). The Elephants beat Serbia and Montenegro 3-2 in 2006 after their elimination from the group stage.
