Germany took a commanding 3-1 lead over Curacao at half-time in their Group E opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Manuel Neuer and his teammates showing dominance throughout the first 45 minutes.

The match between Germany and Curacao was part of the opening day fixtures of Group E in the 2026 World Cup, held at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday, 15 June 2026, early morning Indonesia time.

Germany closed the first half with a 3-1 advantage, thanks to goals from Borussia Dortmund duo Felix Nmecha (5') and Nico Schlotterbeck (38'), while Kai Havertz calmly converted a penalty in stoppage time. Curacao had earlier equalised through Livano Comenencia in the 21st minute.

First Half Highlights

Germany started the game on the front foot, pressing high and dominating possession in Curacao’s half. However, Curacao's disciplined defence initially made it difficult for Florian Wirtz and his teammates to break through.

The breakthrough came early in the 5th minute when Felix Nmecha found the back of the net with a composed strike from inside the penalty area. Leroy Sane nearly doubled the lead in the 11th minute after receiving a pass from Jamal Musiala, but his shot narrowly missed the target.

Florian Wirtz also came close in the 14th minute after a pass from Nathaniel Brown, but his effort went wide. Curacao responded with a counter-attack in the 19th minute, but Germany’s solid defence denied them any clear shooting opportunity.

Against the run of play, Curacao equalised in the 21st minute when Livano Comenencia capitalised on a defensive scramble to score past Manuel Neuer.

Curacao’s goalkeeper, Eloy Room, was called into action in the 28th minute, producing a fine save to deny Schlotterbeck’s header. Aleksandar Pavlovic then saw his shot blocked a minute later, while Sane’s powerful effort in the 32nd minute was also stopped by Curacao’s defence.

Germany regained the lead in the 38th minute when Nico Schlotterbeck headed home from a well-taken corner. The Germans continued to press, with multiple attempts blocked by Curacao’s defenders just before halftime.

As the first half entered stoppage time, Germany were awarded a penalty after Felix Nmecha was fouled inside the box. Kai Havertz stepped up and converted the spot-kick with composure, giving Germany a 3-1 lead heading into halftime.

Line-ups

Germany:
Starters: Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck, Nathaniel Brown, Felix Nmecha, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Kai Havertz.
Substitutes: Alexander Nubel, Oliver Baumann, David Raum, Waldemar Anton, Antonio Rudiger, Malick Thiaw, Jamie Leweling, Leon Goretzka, Assan Ouedraogo, Nadiem Amiri, Angelo Stiller, Pascal Gross, Nick Woltemade, Maximilian Beier, Deniz Undav.

Curacao:
Starters: Eloy Room, Riechedly Bazoer, Armando Obispo, Jurien Gaari, Deveron Fonville, Juninho Bacuna, Leandro Bacuna, Livano Comenencia, Sharel Constancio Floranus, Tahith Chong, Jurgen Locadia.
Substitutes: Trevor Doornbusch, Tyriack Bodak, Joshua Brenet, Shurandy Sambo, Roshon van Eijma, Ar'Jany Martha, Jeremy Antonisse, Kenji Gorre, Kevin Felida, Tyrese Noslin, Jearl Margaritha, Godfried Roemeratoe, Gervane Kastaneer, Brandley Kuwas.

Inspiring Local Jersey Businesses in Solo

One of the small business owners in Solo, Nofi Setiawan, who runs NS Jersey, shared his views on the World Cup’s impact on local jersey sales and his predictions for the Group A winners and runners-up.

Nofi began his jersey business while still in high school, inspired by his marketing studies. “This business started as part of my school project in marketing. I decided to test this idea during school and continued selling after graduation. Thankfully, it has grown quite well,” he explained.

He began taking the business seriously after the COVID-19 pandemic. “Initially around 2020, it was more of a hobby. But after the pandemic hit, I decided to focus and expand the business,” Nofi said.

Commenting on the surge in jersey demand during the World Cup, Nofi mentioned that sales typically increase after the group stage ends. “Usually, the demand picks up after the group phase,” he remarked.

According to Nofi, the best-selling jerseys are those of European teams, particularly Germany and France. “The most popular ones are Germany and France. Portugal comes next, mainly because of Ronaldo. Among South American teams, Argentina and Brazil are also highly sought after,” he added.

Interestingly, Dutch jerseys tend to sell more in Eastern Indonesia. “We often ship to Eastern Indonesia because many people there have Dutch ancestry,” Nofi explained.

He also observed three main reasons customers buy jerseys: design, loyalty to favourite players, and budget. “From my experience, people buy based on design, their favourite players like Ronaldo, Mbappe, or Messi, and their budget,” he said.

Nofi shared that one of the most memorable moments in his business was when older designs sold quickly after a team advanced deep in the tournament. “It’s always satisfying when I still have stock and the team performs well, like Argentina in 2022. Demand spikes and prices go up,” he recalled.

His farthest deliveries have been to Papua and Maluku, often in bulk orders of up to 12 pieces. “I have customers in Papua and Maluku. They usually gather friends to buy together to reduce shipping costs,” he said.

(TribunWow.com)