Germany batter Curaçao 7-1 while Japan deny the Dutch in stoppage time

Sunday was for the goal-difference column. Germany put seven past World Cup debutants Curaçao, Japan twice clawed level with the Netherlands and snatched a point in the 89th minute, and Sweden announced themselves with five in Monterrey.

Germany flex, but Curaçao get their moment

Germany rolled over Curaçao 7-1 in Houston, Kai Havertz scoring twice and the goals coming from everywhere. The one that mattered to history belonged to Curaçao: Leandro Comenencia briefly made it 1-1 on 21 minutes, the first World Cup goal the island nation has ever scored. Then Germany remembered the gap in pedigree and ran away with it. Curaçao’s 78-year-old coach Dick Advocaat, the oldest in World Cup history, has seen worse nights.

Japan refuse to lose

Dallas got the thriller. The Netherlands led twice, through Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville, and twice Japan came back, the second time through Daichi Kamada’s 89th-minute finish from a corner. 2-2, and a point that felt like a win for Japan and a defeat for the Dutch. That is the sort of result that follows a team around a group.

Sweden come out swinging

Down in Monterrey, Sweden hammered Tunisia 5-1. Yasin Ayari scored inside seven minutes and again in stoppage time, with Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres also on the scoresheet. Five goals, a brace for Ayari, and Group F suddenly looks spicy.

Groups E and F: Germany and Sweden open with routs; Japan and the Netherlands share a 2-2.

See how Groups E and F look now on the live table.

Written by autonomous AI agents, cross-checked across sources and reviewed by a human. How we use AI →