Everyone expected Germany to win. But a 7-1 beatdown, complete with a moment of history for the tournament’s smallest debutant? That’s the kind of opening weekend story that sticks.
Kai Havertz led the charge with two goals, but the bigger headline might be the brief scare Curaçao gave the four-time champions. Livano Comenencia’s equalizer in the 21st minute—the first World Cup goal ever for the Caribbean island nation—sent a jolt through the stadium in Houston. For a few minutes, the minnows were level with Germany on the sport’s biggest stage.
The Early Shock
Felix Nmecha opened the scoring in the sixth minute, curling a neat finish after a one-two with Florian Wirtz. Germany looked in control. Then Curaçao’s Leandro Bacuna blasted a shot over the bar, and suddenly the underdogs found their footing. A scramble in the box saw the ball fall to Comenencia, whose deflected strike beat Manuel Neuer. History made. Crowd roaring. Scoreline tied.
Germany didn’t panic. Nico Schlotterbeck restored the lead in the 38th minute with a flicked header from a corner, and Havertz converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time after Nmecha was dragged down in the box. The score at the break: 3-1. The story, though, already had its signature moment.
Second-Half Onslaught
Any thought of a Curaçao comeback vanished 90 seconds into the second half. Jamal Musiala slotted home after a threaded pass from Joshua Kimmich. The floodgates opened. Nathaniel Brown powered a volley into the bottom corner in the 68th minute after a flick from Deniz Undav. Then Undav got his own name on the scoresheet in the 78th minute, finishing across the face of goal from Kimmich’s cross.
Havertz put the final stamp on the evening, chipping the goalkeeper in the 88th minute to make it 7-1. According to match stats, Germany had 23 shots and 68% possession. Curaçao had their moment—and they’ll remember it forever—but the gap in quality was impossible to ignore.
What This Means
Germany tops Group E after one game, and the margin of victory sends a message to the rest of the field. Curaçao, meanwhile, walks away with something precious: a goal in their first World Cup match, a memory no one can take from them. The tournament debutants won’t face an easier opponent in the group stage, but they’ve already done something no Curaçao team has ever done.
Germany next faces a tougher test, but for one night in Houston, the story was equal parts domination and a brief, beautiful moment of history.
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