Houston, Jun 15 (V7N)- Four-time world champions Germany started their FIFA World Cup campaign with an emphatic statement, dismantling debutants Curacao 7-1 in their Group E opener at the NRG Stadium in Houston, USA. Kai Havertz starred with a brilliant brace, while five other German players added their names to the scoresheet in a dominant performance that brought back memories of their iconic 7-1 victory over Brazil 12 years ago.
The match, which kicked off at 11:00 PM Bangladesh time on Sunday (June 14), saw the heavy favorites take an early lead in the 6th minute. Felix Nmecha opened the scoring for Julian Nagelsmann's side with a clinical finish after exchanging passes with Florian Wirtz.
However, the Caribbean newcomers—making history as the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup—shocked the stadium by equalizing in the 21st minute. Right-back Livano Comenencia fired a left-footed shot from inside the box that deflected past legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, recording Curacao's first-ever World Cup goal and sparking wild celebrations among their traveling supporters.
The equalizer proved to be a wake-up call for Germany, who immediately launched an aggressive counter-offensive. In the 38th minute, defender Nico Schlotterbeck restored the lead with an easy header from a corner kick. The Germans continued their relentless pressure into the dying moments of the first half, and Kai Havertz doubled the cushion by calmly converting a penalty deep into stoppage time. Captain Joshua Kimmich’s team headed into the tunnel with a commanding 3-1 lead.
After the interval, the German attack broke Curacao’s defense like a house of cards. Just two minutes into the second half, Jamal Musiala combined with Kimmich to produce a beautiful finish, making it 4-1.
The European powerhouse then turned the game into a complete rout, netting three more goals exactly 10 minutes apart. Defender Nathaniel Brown marked his World Cup debut with a well-taken volley in the 68th minute, substitute Deniz Undav slid home the sixth in the 78th minute, and Havertz completed his brace in the 88th minute to seal the historic 7-1 scoreline.
With this resounding victory, Die Mannschaft takes firm control of Group E, proving they are ready to put their recent tournament disappointments behind them. Germany will next travel to Toronto to face the Ivory Coast on Saturday, while Curacao looks to bounce back against Ecuador in Kansas City.
END/SMA/AJ
