Kai Havertz double drives Germany to 7-1 World Cup win over Curaçao

Kai Havertz struck twice on Sunday as Germany turned a close first-half contest against World Cup debutant Curaçao into a 7-1 group-stage victory.

Curaçao had a moment to treasure in the 21st minute when Livano Comenencia drove a left-footed effort through a packed penalty area from the middle of the box, making it 1-1 and giving the small Caribbean nation its first World Cup goal. The finish set off loud celebrations among Curaçao supporters.

Germany controlled the match from there. The four-time champions went back in front in the 38th minute, with Nico Schlotterbeck heading in from a Nathaniel Brown corner.

The final score did not threaten the World Cup’s biggest winning margin of nine goals, a mark reached three times. The most recent instance was Hungary’s 10-1 victory over El Salvador in 1982.

Havertz made it 3-1 in first-half stoppage time, sending a penalty into the left side of the goal after Felix Nmecha was brought down in the area by Riechedly Bazoer.

Germany added to the lead almost immediately after the restart. Jamal Musiala scored in the 47th minute with a right-footed shot across the goalkeeper’s area, before Brown made it 5-1 in the 68th and Deniz Undav scored in the 78th. Havertz completed his two-goal outing in the 88th minute.

The result gave Germany the kind of opening it wanted as it tries to repair the damage of back-to-back group-stage exits in Russia and Qatar, which followed its 2014 World Cup triumph.

Nmecha had put Germany ahead in the sixth minute, meeting Florian Wirtz’s assist first time with his right foot and finishing at the near post from just inside the top of the box.

Most of the 68,021 spectators backed Germany, though Curaçao also had a lively group of fans in the stands as the country became the smallest ever to play at the World Cup.

The fixture was the first of the tournament at Houston Stadium, the venue usually known as NRG Stadium and home to the NFL’s Houston Texans.

Manuel Neuer, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who returned from international retirement for the tournament, made one save in his first Germany appearance in nearly two years.

The match also produced the widest coaching age difference in World Cup history. Curaçao’s Dick Advocaat, 78, became the tournament’s oldest coach, while Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann, 38, is the youngest coach at this World Cup.

Germany next plays Ivory Coast in Toronto on Saturday, while Curaçao faces Ecuador the same day in Kansas City.