Germany and Ivory Coast are set to meet in a high-stakes Group E showdown in Toronto, with both countries knowing that victory would secure qualification to the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a match still to play.Germany will go into the contest full of confidence after a ruthless attacking display in their opening fixture against Curacao.Ivory Coast, on the other hand, will be eager to prove they can compete with one of the tournament favourites.Germany Carry Momentum Into Crucial ClashGermany extended their winning streak to ten matches with a dominant 7-1 victory over World Cup debutants Curaao last Sunday, sending an early warning to the rest of the tournament.The seven-goal display also saw Germany become the leading all-time scorers in FIFA World Cup history with 239 goals, strengthening their position as serious contenders after disappointing early exits in recent editions.Despite their impressive attacking form, defensive concerns remain for the Germans. They have now failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last seven World Cup matches, their longest such streak since 1970.Still, their attacking quality continues to mask those weaknesses, having scored at least three goals in six of their last ten consecutive victories.Ivory Coast Dreaming of Historic Knockout QualificationIvory Coast also began their World Cup campaign with victory, edging Ecuador 1-0 to secure a fourth straight international win.That run includes three victories against nations ranked inside FIFAs top 25, suggesting the Elephants will not be intimidated by the occasion against Germany.With the expanded World Cup format increasing the number of teams advancing to the knockout rounds, Ivory Coast will believe a historic first-ever knockout qualification is within reach.Even if they fail to take points from this encounter, their final group game against Curaao still offers another opportunity to progress.Head-to-Head RecordThe two nations have only faced each other once previously, playing out a 2-2 draw in an international friendly in November 2009.Germany have historically performed strongly against African opposition at the World Cup, losing only once in eight matches against teams from the continent.Ivory Coast, meanwhile, have managed just one World Cup victory against European opposition.Key Stats Ahead of Germany vs Ivory CoastGermany have scored first in nine of their last ten matches.The Germans have also won eight or more corners in five of their last six internationals.Ivory Coast have shown resilience late in games, scoring after the 80th minute in five of their last seven matches.Six of Ivory Coasts previous seven internationals have also produced an odd number of goals.Players to WatchKai Havertz comes into the match in excellent form after scoring twice against Curaao. The forward has now found the net at each of Germanys last four major tournaments and has contributed seven goals in his last five appearances for club and country combined.For Ivory Coast, Gula Dou has emerged as one of the teams most influential figures, registering a goal and an assist across his last two international appearances.Team NewsNeither side reported major injury concerns following their opening group-stage matches.However, Ivory Coast will be without Elye Wahi, who will not feature after reportedly being denied entry into Canada following an arrest in France last month linked to a spot-fixing investigation.Match DetailsThe Group E clash between Germany and Ivory Coast is scheduled for Saturday, June 20.Kick-off is set for 20:00 GMT.
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