News (engl.)

Germany have made a flying start to their 2026 World Cup campaign in the USA, Canada and Mexico, as Julian Nagelsmann’s side ran out comfortable 7-1 winners against debutants Curacao in Houston. Felix Nmecha opened the scoring early on (6’), before Livano Comenencia briefly levelled for the underdogs (21’). Nico Schlotterbeck restored Germany’s lead before the break (38’), and Kai Havertz added a third from the spot (45’+5). Jamal Musiala struck straight after the restart (47’), Nathaniel Brown made it 5-1 (68’), before Deniz Undav (78’) and Havertz again (88’) rounded off the scoring.

Nagelsmann named Manuel Neuer in goal for Germany’s World Cup opener, with the goalkeeper making his return after stepping away from the national team following EURO 2024. Jonathan Tah and Schlotterbeck lined up at centre-back, with captain Joshua Kimmich and Brown in the full-back positions. Aleksandar Pavlovic and Nmecha were given the job of protecting the back four, while Florian Wirtz, Musiala and Leroy Sané looked to create chances for Havertz up front.

Germany controlled possession from the outset and carved out their first big chance in the fifth minute, when Brown slipped a perfect pass through for Musiala, whose shot was blocked at the last moment. The rebound stayed with Germany and fell to Nmecha, who played a sharp one-two with Wirtz in a tight space before curling a fine finish into the far corner from around 16 yards.

Schlotterbeck provides response to Curacao equaliser

Nmecha had clearly taken confidence from his first World Cup goal and went close again moments later, firing narrowly wide from distance (8’). Germany repeatedly combined their way into the Curacao box, with Sané also getting a dangerous shot away (11’). Nmecha threatened once more soon after, but couldn’t generate enough power while stretching for the ball (12’).

Germany continued to pile on the pressure. Wirtz drifted in from the left and worked the ball onto his right foot, but his effort flashed just wide of the far post (14’). Despite Germany’s early dominance, Curacao found an unexpected route back into the game with an equaliser against the run of play. The visitors broke forward, the ball was poked away from Jürgen Locadia and ran to Comenencia, whose deflected effort found the back of the net. Germany went in search of a response and created their next good opening through Schlotterbeck, but Eloy Room tipped his header over the bar (28’). Pavlovic was then picked out superbly on the edge of the area, only for his shot to be blocked (30’).

Germany were getting closer to a second. Wirtz played the ball perfectly into Sané’s path, but he couldn’t squeeze his effort past Room and Deveron Fonville (33’). The goal eventually came from a corner, with Brown delivering to the edge of the six-yard box, where Schlotterbeck powered in a header to score his first international goal. Pavlovic almost added a third shortly before half time, but Juninho Bacuna cleared his shot off the line (45’+1). Germany did take a 3-1 lead into the break, though, after Nmecha was fouled in the area by Riechedly Bazoer and Havertz made no mistake from the resulting penalty.

Musiala scores straight after the restart

Germany followed up their goal on the stroke of half time with another almost immediately after the change of ends. Kimmich picked out Musiala perfectly, and the attacker found the far corner with a precise finish across the goalkeeper. Room was called into action again soon after, doing enough to keep out Nmecha’s shot from a tight angle (50’). Wirtz also had a chance to add another, but was denied a clean strike at the crucial moment (53’).

Curacao threatened again just after the hour mark, with Leandro Bacuna heading over following a free-kick (62’). Germany almost responded immediately, as Sané ran clean through against Room but placed his effort wide of the post (63’). Nagelsmann made his first change shortly afterwards, handing Undav his World Cup debut in place of Musiala (64’). Undav wasted no time making an impact, brilliantly flicking the ball into Brown’s path for the full-back to finish from 12 yards and make it 5-1.

A triple change followed in the 73rd minute, with Antonio Rüdiger, David Raum and Leon Goretzka replacing Tah, Brown and Nmecha. Jearl Margaritha then sent an effort over the bar from a left-sided position (76’), before Kimmich showed clever timing in the Curacao area and squared for Undav just outside the six-yard box to make it 6-1. Waldemar Anton also came on in the closing stages, replacing Kimmich (83’). Shortly afterwards, Havertz rounded off the scoring with a delicate lob after driving through on goal.