06/14/26 02:10:00
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06/14 14:08 CDT Havertz sparks Germany's 7-1 rout of Curaao after underdogs'
historic 1st goal in World Cup
Havertz sparks Germany's 7-1 rout of Curaao after underdogs' historic 1st goal
in World Cup
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) --- Kai Havertz scored two goals as Germany pulled away from World
Cup first-timer Curaao late in the opening half and piled on after that in a
7-1 win Sunday in a group match.
Livano Comenencia tied it at 1-1 with his left-footed shot through traffic from
the center of the box in the 21st minute to give Curaao its first goal in the
tournament and send fans of the tiny Caribbean nation into a frenzy.
It was all Germany after that with the four-time champions regaining the lead
on Nico Schlotterbeck's header off Nathaniel Brown's corner kick in the 38th
minute.
The margin of victory comes well short of the World Cup record of nine goals
which has happened three times, with the last one coming when Hungary beat El
Salvador 10-1 in 1982.
Havertz connected on a penalty shot into the left goal in first half stoppage
time to make it 3-1. Germany was awarded the penalty shot after Felix Nmecha
was tripped in the box by Riechedly Bazoer.
Germany wasted no time after halftime to extend the lead with Jamal Musiala
scoring on a right-footed shot across the goalkeeper's area in the 47th minute.
Brown scored in the 68th minute to push the advantage to 5-1 and Deniz Undav
added a goal in the 78th.
Havertz's second goal came in the 88th minute.
It was a strong start for Germany against underdog Curaao as the team seeks
redemption after failing to get out of the group stage in Russia and Qatar
following its 2014 title.
Nmecha one timed it with his right foot into the near post just inside the
upper box with an assist from Florian Wirtz in the sixth minute to make it 1-0.
The crowd of 68,021 was overwhelming rooting for Germany but there was a
spirited contingent of people cheering on Curaao as it became the smallest
country to ever appear in the tournament.
It was the first match of the tournament at Houston Stadium, normally called
NRG Stadium where the NFL's Houston Texans play.
Manuel Neuer, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who came out of international
retirement for the tournament, had one save in his first appearance for Germany
in almost two years.
The match featured the largest age gap between coaches in World Cup history
with Curaao's 78-year-old coach Dick Advocaat becoming the oldest ever in the
tournament against 38-year-old Julian Nagelsmann, who is the youngest coach in
this year's tournament.
Germany faces Ivory Coast in its next match in Toronto on Saturday and Curaao
meets Ecuador Saturday in Kansas City.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
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