Germany thrash Curacao 7-1 to end World Cup opening-match jinx

Germany began their World Cup campaign with a resounding 7-1 victory over debutants Curacao, decisively ending their jinx of not winning an opening match since their 2014 triumph.

Felix Nmecha put Germany ahead early, but Curacao's Livano Comenencia scored a deflected equalizer, briefly raising hopes of an upset. However, Germany quickly regained command. Nico Schlotterbeck headed in a corner to restore the lead before halftime, and Kai Havertz converted a penalty just before the break.

Germany intensified their attack in the second half. Jamal Musiala scored within two minutes of the restart, followed by goals from Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav. Havertz completed the rout with his second goal, marking a significant win for Germany and a tough introduction for Curacao.

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It is indescribable. To score in the first World Cup match, my family is there, then to celebrate with the guys, simply incredible.

"It is indescribable," said Brown after scoring his first international goal. "To score in the first World Cup match, my family is there, then to celebrate with the guys, simply incredible." Despite conceding seven goals, Brown added, "I’m proud that we didn’t let our heads drop."

The commanding performance places Germany in a favorable position in Group E, setting a strong precedent for their upcoming matches against Ecuador and Ivory Coast. The seven-goal haul also drew comparisons to their historic 7-1 win over Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals.

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I’m proud that we didn’t let our heads drop.