Substitute Deniz Undav was the hero for Germany, scoring a 68th-minute equaliser before calmly slotting his second in the fourth minute of stoppage time to settle an enthralling Group E game in Toronto.
The result marks the first time since 2014 that Germany have reached the knockout rounds after back-to-back first-round eliminations in the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
Ivory Coast meanwhile were left ruing their failure to convert a series of promising openings after Franck Kessie had given them the lead in the 30th minute.
Germany could seal first place in Group E later Saturday if Ecuador fail to beat Curacao.
“Winning mentality, team spirit – we had exactly what you need to be successful in a tournament,” Germany defender Jonathan Tah told MagentaTV after the win.
“We never gave up, kept going no matter what. The guys coming off the bench brought energy. Deniz deserves a special mention, outstanding,” the Bayern Munich defender added. (AFP)