HOUSTON (AP) — Kai Havertz scores two goals and Germany pulls away. world cup First-timers Curaçao won late in the first half and continued to improve, winning 7-1 in Sunday’s group match.
Libano Comenencia gave Curaçao the lead in the 21st minute with a left-footed shot from the center of the box that tied the score at 1-1. First goal of the tournament And it sends fans from the small Caribbean country into a frenzy.
From then on it was Germany’s lead, with the four-time champions regaining the lead in the 38th minute when Nico Schlotterbeck headed home from a corner kick from Nathaniel Braun.
The margin of victory was well short of the previous World Cup record of nine goals, the last of which came in 1982 when Hungary defeated El Salvador 10-1.
In first-half stoppage time, Havertz scored a penalty shot to the left of the goal to make it 3-1. Germany were awarded a penalty after Felix Nmeka was tripped in the box by Richedri Bazoua.
Germany extended their lead shortly after half-time when Jamal Musiala fired a right-footed shot beyond the goalkeeper area.
brown Scored in the 68th minute Deniz Undav added a goal in the 78th minute, pushing the advantage to 5-1.
Havertz’s second goal came in the 88th minute.
It was a strong start for Germany against weaker Curaçao, as the team tries to recover from losing in the group stages in Russia and Qatar after winning in 2014.
In the 6th minute, Nmeka scored with his right foot at the near post just above the box after an assist from Florian Wirtz to make it 1-0.
The crowd of 68,021 overwhelmingly cheered for Germany, but the island of Curaçao, the smallest country in the tournament’s history, also enthusiastically cheered.
It was the first game of the tournament at Houston Stadium (commonly called NRG Stadium), where the NFL’s Houston Texans play.
Manuel Neuer is a 40-year-old goalkeeper. came out of international retirement In this tournament, he made one save in his first appearance on the German national team in almost two years.
The match saw the largest age difference between managers in World Cup history, with Curacao’s 78-year-old manager. dick advocaat He will be the oldest coach in the tournament’s history when he plays against 38-year-old Julian Nagelsmann, the youngest coach in the tournament.
Germany will next play Ivory Coast in Toronto on Saturday, while Curacao will play Ecuador in Kansas City on Saturday.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
