"We have high ambitions..." Julian Nagelsmann Insists Germany Focused On Bigger Goals After Reaching Knockout Stage

Julian Nagelsmann insists Germany's ambitions extend beyond simply reaching the World Cup knockout rounds after a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Ivory Coast.

Deniz Undav's second-half brace secured qualification and reinforced Germany's growing momentum.

The four-time world champions booked their place in the Round of 32 for the first time since lifting the trophy in 2014, overturning a first-half deficit in Toronto thanks to a match-winning contribution from substitute Deniz Undav.

Despite the significance of ending a run of disappointing World Cup campaigns, Nagelsmann was keen to emphasise that Germany's objectives remain far greater than simply advancing from the group stage.

"I am very happy that we won the match. In the end, we deservedly won it," Nagelsmann told reporters after the game as quoted by The Star.

"The boys invested a lot. I'm very happy for the whole team because everyone knew they were important. Every player that came into the match was important."

Germany found themselves trailing at half-time after Franck Kessie capitalised on a rare defensive lapse to put Ivory Coast ahead. Although Germany controlled large spells of possession, they struggled to convert that dominance into goals and had two efforts ruled out before the interval.

Nagelsmann admitted he was dissatisfied with sections of his team's performance, particularly the opening stages of each half, and explained why he acted decisively from the bench.

"We did not have enough control at the beginning of the game," he said.

"I was not satisfied with the first 10 minutes after halftime either. I wanted to move something by bringing them in."

The changes transformed the contest. Undav, introduced as part of a triple substitution, injected urgency and movement into Germany's attack before scoring twice in the second half to complete the comeback.

Nagelsmann reserved special praise for the Stuttgart forward, whose growing influence could now earn him a place in the starting lineup for Germany's final Group E fixture against Ecuador.

"When the game opens up he's really great at moving around," Nagelsmann said.

"For Deniz it was clear; he gave us a lot in the last game when he was a sub. Deniz doesn't need to be prepared; he can jump in right away."

Undav, who also scored twice and registered an assist in Germany's 4-0 friendly victory over Finland before the tournament, admitted the performance was one of the highlights of his international career.

"It's a great feeling," he said after receiving the Player of the Match award as quoted by BBC Sport.

"I wanted to have it last time; it didn't work. It's wonderful, a fantastic feeling. For me to get the trophy is extraordinary, but the important thing is we won the game and go into the next round and see what happens."

While qualification is secured, Nagelsmann insists complacency will not be allowed to creep into the camp ahead of the Ecuador match.

"We have high ambitions, but I think every team that takes part in the World Cup has high ambitions," he said, as quoted by Yahoo Sport.

"It's always important to focus on the next steps."

For Ivory Coast, defeat was a painful setback after an impressive display that had threatened to secure an early place in the knockout rounds. However, head coach Emerse Fae remained optimistic about his side's prospects heading into their decisive final group match against Curacao.

"We still have everything to play for," Fae said.

"I'm really happy with the performance of my players during these 90 minutes. I think we had two teams that deserve to win."

"Our primary objective is to get out of the group phase."

Germany now sit top of Group E with six points from two matches, while Ivory Coast remain firmly in contention for qualification as the battle for the remaining knockout-stage places heads into the final round of fixtures.