Germany opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 7-1 victory over debutants Curacao in Houston. Goals from Havertz, Nmecha, Musiala, Brown and Undav secured three points and underlined Germany's attacking depth, while Curacao's lone strike came from Livano Comenencia.
Germany began their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in spectacular fashion, dispatching debutants Curacao 7-1 in a match played at Houston's NRG Stadium. The opening goal arrived just six minutes after kickoff when Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area, exchanged a quick one‑two with Florian Wirtz and curled a right‑footed shot into the far corner.
The early strike set the tone for a dominant German display, but Curacao - making their first appearance at a senior World Cup - responded with surprising resilience. In the 21st minute, Livano Comenencia seized on a loose ball in the German box, his effort taking a slight deflection off Joshua Kimmich before beating Manuel Neuer, restoring parity at 1‑1 and briefly unsettling the German side. The German defence soon re‑established control.
A Nico Schlotterbeck header from a Nathaniel Brown corner in the 38th minute pushed the score to 2‑1, and just before the break, a penalty awarded after Nmecha was brought down by Riechedly Bazoer was calmly converted by Kai Havertz. The first half therefore ended 3‑1 in Germany's favour.
The second half saw the Germans continue to press, with Jamal Musiala receiving a threaded pass from Kimmich and slotting the ball into the far corner within the first minute after the interval. Nathaniel Brown added his own strike when a Deniz Undav flick‑on volley from a Wirtz cross found the bottom corner, and later, Undav himself doubled the lead with a powerful finish from a Kai Kimmich cross.
The final blow came in stoppage time when Havertz curled a chipped penalty past Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room, sealing a 7‑1 victory and securing three points for Germany in Group E. Across the match, Germany's attacking options were on full display. Kai Havertz not only converted the decisive penalty but also added a second goal, finishing his brace. Nmecha, Musiala, Brown, and Undav each contributed a goal, underlining the depth of talent at the German squad.
Curacao, despite the heavy loss, showed moments of promise, particularly through Comenencia's equaliser and occasional threats from Leandro Bacuna and Jeremy Antonisse. The result, however, highlighted the gulf in experience and quality between the European powerhouse and the Caribbean newcomers. Germany's manager praised the team's collective effort and tactical discipline, emphasizing that the early goal-scoring spree would provide a strong platform for the remaining group matches.
Curacao's coach acknowledged the learning curve at this level but expressed pride in the historic achievement of scoring against a four‑time world champion in what will be remembered as a historic debut at the world's biggest tournament
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