(Photo credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images)

The match didn't go as expected early when one of the most experienced World Cup nations played against a debutante but in the end, Germany scored the final six goals, two by Kai Havertz, for a 7-1 rout of Curacao in the Group E opener for both teams in Houston on Sunday.

The match was surprisingly 1-1 nearing halftime before Germany took control on a goal by Nico Schlotterbeck in the 38th minute and a Havertz penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time for a 3-1 halftime lead.

Jamal Musiala extended the lead to 4-1 in the 47th before Nathaniel Brown (68th), Deniz Undav (78th) and Havertz (88th) made it the six-goal margin.

Germany, a four-time champion, is making its 21st World Cup appearance, while Curacao is not only making its debut but the smallest to qualify this year in terms of population (about 158,000) and size (171 square miles).

The irony is that Curacao's Dick Advocaat became the oldest manager of a World Cup match at age 78.

Felix Nmecha opened the scoring for Germany six minutes after kickoff but Curacao shocked the soccer world with the tying score by Livano Comenencia in the 21st minute.

Nmecha was rewarded off a give-and-go with Florian Wirtz and slotted a shot to the upper-right corner past goalkeeper Eloy Room, who helped the Columbus Crew win the 2020 MLS Cup.

Comenencia was in the right place at the right time for the historic first Curacao goal. A shot by Jurgen Locadia was blocked directly to the left foot of Comenencia at the top of the box and his shot deflected off German midfielder Joshua Kimmich and out of the reach of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Neuer, 40, was a surprise selection to the squad after he retired from international play in August 2024. Instead, he started in his fifth World Cup, making one save as he tied France's Hugo Lloris for the goalkeeper appearance record with his 20th appearance in a World Cup match.

Room made four saves for Curacao.

Schlotterbeck restored the lead with a glancing header off a corner kick by Brown. Brown has dual citizenship because his father is American but the defender decided to play for Germany.

Nmecha drew a penalty after being clipped by Riechedly Bazoer and Havertz converted to the lower-left corner for the halftime cushion.

On Germany's fourth goal, Musiala made a diagonal run to the right side of the box to accept a pass from Kimmich to score just inside the far post.

Kimmich and Undav, the latter off the bench, each had two assists.

--Field Level Media