HOUSTON: Germany won their first opening match at a World Cup since lifting the trophy in 2014 as they eased to a 7-1 win against debutants Curacao in their opening Group E match in Houston on Sunday.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;An early German goal by Felix Nmecha was cancelled out by a deflected strike from Livano Comenencia which had the Curacao fans, known as the Blue Wave, out of their seats in Houston.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;Germany settled early, Nmecha scoring a beauty in the sixth minute, receiving the ball from Florian Wirtz and curling the ball round a Curacao defender and past goalkeeper Eloy Room.&nbsp;The goal had coach Julian Nagelsmann letting out a huge roar.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who at 40 is the oldest German player ever to appear at a World Cup and is playing in his fifth global tournament, had had little to do until Comenencia struck with a shot which took a deflection.&nbsp;While Germany&#39;s senior citizen shook his head ruefully, the oldest coach to ever appear at the finals, 78-year-old Dick Advocaat, was up out of his seat arms raised.&nbsp;The drinks break allowed the Germans to regroup.&nbsp;Soon after the restart Schlotterbeck&#39;s header was brilliantly turned over the bar by Room.&nbsp;The four-time world champions huffed and puffed round the Curacao goal, but time and again desperate defending frustrated their Germans.&nbsp;However, the Curacao defence cracked in the 38th minute when an unmarked Schlotterbeck headed home from a corner for his first goal for his country.&nbsp;The Germans went into the break with a two-goal advantage as Havertz stroked home a penalty after Nmecha had been brought down by Riechedly Bazoer.&nbsp;Germany struck 69 seconds into the second half, Musiala running on to Joshua Kimmich&#39;s pass and scoring from a tight angle.&nbsp;It should have been 5-1 just after the hour mark but Leroy Sane sent his effort wide with only Room to beat.&nbsp;Where Sane came up short Brown did not as the fullback fired home just before the second hydration break.&nbsp;Substitute Undav made it six with his seventh goal in his last seven international appearances.&nbsp;Havertz rounded it off with his 24th goal for Germany to replicate the same scoreline as they famously recorded against hosts Brazil in the 2014 semi-finals.

Football

Germany began their World Cup campaign in dominant fashion, thrashing debutants Curacao 7-1 in Houston, after an early scare from Curacao’s equalizer. Germany responded with goals to secure a convincing Group E victory.

Articles tagged with "Curacao"

Germany hammer World Cup debutants Curacao after early scare

Germany hammer World Cup debutants Curacao after early scare