Jamal Musiala scored Germany's fourth goal as teh former champions romped to a 7-1 win over Curacao in their 2026 Fifa World Cup Group E encounter at the Houston Stadium on Sunday night. Photo: AFP
Germany won their first opening match at a Fifa World Cup since lifting the trophy in 2014 as they eased to a 7-1 win against debutants Curaçao in their opening Group E match in Houston on Sunday.
The Germans will face stiffer tests against group rivals Ecuador and Ivory Coast, but the win against the tiny Caribbean nation puts them in a good position to progress to the knockout stages for the first time since 2014.
An early German goal by Felix Nmecha was cancelled out by a deflected strike from Livano Comenencia, which had the Curaçao fans — known as the 'Blue Wave' — out of their seats in Houston. However, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz with a double, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav scored to put to bed any possibility of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.
Germany settled early, Nmecha scoring a beauty in the sixth minute after receiving the ball from Florian Wirtz and curling it round a Curaçao defender and past goalkeeper Eloy Room. The goal had coach Julian Nagelsmann letting out a huge roar. Nmecha, who like Musiala played for England at junior level before choosing Germany, went close minutes later with a rasping effort from outside the box.
