Germany delivered a spectacular performance in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, thrashing Curacao 7-1 in Group E at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday, 15 June 2026 (Western Indonesia Time).

The match marked Germany’s first appearance in the tournament, and as expected, Der Panzer dominated possession and controlled the pace of play from start to finish. Former Persib Bandung player Gervane Kastaneer came on as a second-half substitute for Curacao.

First Half

Germany started the match aggressively, pressing high and keeping the Curacao defence pinned back. Despite their dominance, Florian Wirtz and his teammates initially struggled to break down the disciplined Curacao back line.

Felix Nmecha opened the scoring in the 5th minute with a well-placed strike from inside the box. Leroy Sane nearly doubled the lead six minutes later but fired just wide after a neat pass from Jamal Musiala. Florian Wirtz also came close in the 14th minute, his shot missing the target by inches after a setup from Nathaniel Brown.

Curacao attempted to respond with a counterattack in the 19th minute, but Germany’s defence stood firm, limiting their shooting opportunities. However, in a surprising twist, Livano Comenencia capitalised on a defensive scramble to equalise for Curacao in the 21st minute, beating Manuel Neuer from close range.

Germany quickly regrouped, with Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room making a brilliant save to deny Nico Schlotterbeck’s header on 28 minutes. Aleksandar Pavlovic and Leroy Sane also saw their efforts blocked before Nico Schlotterbeck restored Germany’s lead in the 38th minute with a header from a corner.

Germany continued to pile on the pressure, and just before half-time, Felix Nmecha was fouled in the box, resulting in a penalty. Kai Havertz calmly converted from the spot to make it 3-1 heading into the break.

Second Half

Two minutes into the second half, Jamal Musiala added Germany’s fourth goal, finishing off a through ball from Joshua Kimmich. The Germans showed no signs of slowing down, continuing to attack relentlessly. Felix Nmecha’s strike from a tight angle in the 50th minute was parried away by Eloy Room.

Curacao nearly reduced the deficit in the 62nd minute when Leandro Bacuna’s header narrowly missed the target. A few minutes later, Leroy Sane squandered a golden opportunity in a one-on-one with Room, missing wide. Curacao’s Armando Obispo thought he had scored in the 67th minute, but his goal was ruled out for offside.

Nathaniel Brown made it 5-1 in the 69th minute with a composed finish after receiving a fine pass from a teammate. Germany’s dominance continued as Deniz Undav added another goal in the 77th minute, taking advantage of Curacao’s defensive lapse. Kai Havertz capped off the rout with a delightful chip in the 89th minute, sealing a commanding 7-1 victory.

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 Living Doornbusch, Tyriack Bodak, Jurien Gaari, Joshua Brenet, Shuranday Sambo, Roshon van Eijma, Ar’Jany Martha, Jeremy Antonisse, Kenji Gorre, Kevin Felida, Tyrese Noslin, Jearl Margaritha, Godfried Roemeratone, Gervane Kastaneer, Brandley Kuwas.

Inspiring Local Business: Jersey Craze Boosts Solo’s Small Enterprises

In Solo, the World Cup excitement has brought renewed enthusiasm to small business owners like Nofi Setiawan, the proprietor of NS Jersey. Nofi, who began his jersey-selling venture while still in high school, shared his journey and passion for the business.

“I studied marketing in school, and as part of practice exams, I decided to test out this business. It started as a hobby, and after college, I continued selling bit by bit until now,” he explained.

He began to take his business more seriously after the COVID-19 pandemic. “It started as a casual hobby around 2020, but after COVID hit, I decided to pursue it seriously,” Nofi said.

According to Nofi, jersey sales tend to surge after the group stage of major tournaments like the World Cup. “Usually, the excitement picks up after the group stage,” he noted.

The most popular jerseys among his customers are those from European teams, particularly Germany and France, followed by Brazil and Argentina. “Germany and France are always the top sellers. Portugal also sells well because of Ronaldo, while Argentina and Brazil remain strong favourites,” he said, adding that England and the Netherlands are less in demand overall.

Interestingly, Nofi mentioned that Dutch jerseys are frequently shipped to eastern Indonesia. “Many customers in that region have Dutch heritage, so we often send Dutch jerseys there,” he added.

He explained that buyers typically choose jerseys based on three factors: design, favourite players, and budget. “Some buy because of the design, others because they support a specific player like Ronaldo, Mbappe, or Messi, and some simply based on their budget,” Nofi elaborated.

Nofi said he feels most rewarded when older stock sells out because a team performs well. “It’s exciting when I still have old designs in stock and that team goes far in the tournament—like when Argentina reached the semifinals in 2022. Demand soared, and so did prices,” he said with a smile.

His farthest deliveries have gone to Papua and Maluku, where customers often pool orders to save on shipping. “I’ve sent up to 12 jerseys in one shipment. They usually combine orders with friends to cut down on delivery costs,” Nofi shared.

(TribunWow.com)