Biggest win of this World Cup so far
©IMAGO
Germany mastered their first compulsory task at this World Cup despite conceding a goal in the first half and confidently beat the underdogs from Curaçao. After 90 minutes the scoreboard read 7:1 (3:1), and in the 21st minute the world looked different. The Caribbean country celebrated the first World Cup goal in its history with Livano Comenencia’s equalizer.
Previously, Felix Nmecha had given coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team a remarkable lead in the 6th minute, and before halftime Nico Schlotterbeck (38th) and Kai Havertz (45th + 5; penalty kick) let the German fans breathe a sigh of relief. After the break, the DFB selection had everything under control and, with Jamal Musiala (47th), Nathaniel Brown (68th), Deniz Undav (78th) and again Havertz (88th), achieved the biggest victory of this World Cup so far.
After the opening victory, a third World Cup preliminary round disaster after Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 is practically impossible because eight third-placed teams will also advance. Whether four-time world champions Germany can actually achieve great things in America will only be proven against Ivory Coast (June 20) and Ecuador (June 25).
At 12:00 p.m. local time, Neuer’s comeback after two years was perfect. It was only shortly before the World Cup that Nagelsmann brought back the 40-year-old veteran, who also became the record goalkeeper with his 20th World Cup game, and demoted regular goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, who played in the World Cup qualifiers, to number two. “Manu has a huge tournament experience. It’s not only important in the game, but also before the game. He’s experienced everything, from very positive moments to very negative ones on the big stage. He’s a calming factor for us. And he’s still one of the best keepers in the world,” Nagelsmann said on ARD.
But against number 82 in the world rankings, Neuer had imagined the start of the next World Cup adventure completely differently under the closed roof of the hall at a pleasant 22 degrees. The first shot at his goal was also there. Captain Joshua Kimmich deflected Comenencia’s shot intolerable.
Until then, the German team actually had the game well under control after the dream start they had hoped for. Nmecha made national coach Nagelsmann celebrate for the first time in the coaching zone after a one-two with Florian Wirtz in the sixth minute – the earliest German World Cup goal since Philipp Lahm in the summer fairy tale of 2006. The DFB team determined the ball and the opponent until suddenly the intensity dropped and the blatant outsider emerged.
The moment of shock had a brief impact, Kimmich and Co. began to discuss and complain. Should there be the next shock start after 2018 (0-1 against Mexico) and 2022 (1-2 against Japan)?
Not this time. The German team reacted and had good opportunities through Schlotterbeck (28th), Pavlovic (30th) and Sané (32nd). Sané in particular should have scored the goal. The idiosyncratic striker offered his critics a target again not only because of his missed chance, but also with an uninspired performance on the right wing.
At least Schlotterbeck calmed the mood with his first goal in the DFB uniform, which he celebrated with his usual muscle celebration after a corner from Nathaniel Brown. Speaking of Brown. The Frankfurt left-back, one of five World Cup debutants, showed with a good performance why he is about to move to FC Bayern for over 50 million euros.
With Havertz’s penalty kick shortly before half-time, the worries of many German fans about a false start to the World Cup were over. It was the fifth penalty converted in the man’s sixth attempt from English champions Arsenal FC. Nmecha had previously been fouled. The Dortmund player was essentially the man of the first half and a real asset after his injury break.
The calming break gave the four-time world champion security in the game. And things continued perfectly in the second half. After a pass from Kimmich, Musiala scored from a tight angle. A goal that was supposed to help the football artist on his way back to his old strength before Nagelsmann took him off the field for safety reasons.
This decided the duel between the youngest (Nagelsmann/38 years) and oldest coach (Dick Advocaat/78) at this World Cup. Sané missed another great chance (63′). Brown did better after a pass from substitute Deniz Undav, who also got on the scoresheet. Nagelsmann used the clear result to give some players like Antonio Rüdiger and Leon Goretzka a few more World Cup minutes.
Havertz even scored again shortly before the end. This made the second-highest World Cup victory next to the 7-1 against Brazil in the 2014 World Cup triumph. Only in the 8-0 win against Saudi Arabia were the DFB kickers even more accurate in 2002. Back then it ended up going to the final.