News Focus
- Germany secure emphatic 7-1 victory over World Cup debutants Curacao in Houston
- Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala both net twice for Julian Nagelsmann’s side
- Curacao become the smallest nation by population to compete at a World Cup finals
- Felix Nmecha registers the tournament’s fastest goal so far after just six minutes
- Manuel Neuer makes his fifth World Cup appearance at the age of 40
Four-time world champions Germany overcame an early scare to thrash Curacao in their Group E opener in Houston. The Caribbean side, making their maiden appearance at the finals, briefly threatened an upset before Die Mannschaft produced a devastating attacking display.
Felix Nmecha gave Germany the perfect start after just six minutes. The former England youth international bent a powerful shot into the net to register the earliest goal of the tournament so far.
However, the underdogs stunned the four-time winners midway through the first half. Livano Comenencia, who plays his club football in Switzerland, saw his left-footed strike take a deflection and wrong-foot Manuel Neuer. The 40-year-old keeper was appearing in his fifth World Cup.
Curacao, an island nation of just 155,000 people covering 171 square miles, came close to taking the lead when Jurgen Locadia appealed for a penalty. The referee waved away the claims, and a subsequent hydration break allowed the Germans to regroup.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side restored their advantage before the break when Nico Schlotterbeck headed home from Nathaniel Brown’s corner. Kai Havertz then converted calmly from the penalty spot during first-half stoppage time after Riechedly Bazoer fouled Nmecha.
Germany seized complete command immediately after the restart. Jamal Musiala found the net with an angled finish just 69 seconds into the second period, having been set up by Joshua Kimmich.
Left-back Brown volleyed home a fourth, before substitute Deniz Undav added a fifth and sixth. The Stuttgart forward turned provider late on, chipping the ball for Havertz to lift delicately over goalkeeper Eloy Room and complete the rout two minutes from time.