Germany defeated World Cup rookies Curacao 7-1 in Houston on Sunday to get off to a strong start in their FIFA World Cup campaign.

Felix Nmecha gave Germany the lead after just six minutes, and they seemed to be in total control. But in the twenty-first minute, Livano Comenencia took advantage of a defensive error to score Curacao’s first-ever World Cup goal, shocking the four-time world champions and sending their supporters into wild jubilation.

Curacao had a small glimmer of optimism after the historic equaliser, but Germany’s talent quickly proved too much. Before Kai Havertz scored from the penalty spot to give Julian Nagelsmann’s team a comfortable 3-1 lead going into halftime, Nico Schlotterbeck restored the lead.

After halftime, Germany maintained their lead thanks to a goal by Jamal Musiala a few minutes into the second half. Deniz Undav, Havertz, and Nathaniel Brown scored more goals as the Germans’ persistent offensive play overpowered their opponents.

Joshua Kimmich, who controlled the game’s tempo from midfield and provided assists, was crucial to Germany’s triumph. Curacao was unable to keep up with the Germans’ attacking movement and intensity because they had most of the possession and frequently generated opportunities.

Germany’s decisive win puts them atop Group E and gives their opponents a heads-up as they start their pursuit of World Cup title.

Even though Curacao lost badly in their tournament debut, the Caribbean nation will never forget the moment Comenencia scored their first goal on the largest football stage; a significant accomplishment for football in the nation’s history.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that Alvaro Arbeloa is nearing his first Premier League managing position after reaching the final stages of a deal to take over as Fulham’s head coach.

Fabrizio Romano claims that only the final details need to be finalised before Arbeloa is officially named Fulham’s new manager, following Marco Silva’s departure from Craven Cottage to take over at Benfica after five seasons.

Despite having little senior leadership experience, the former Real Madrid defender has a burgeoning reputation.

Before taking over Castilla, Arbeloa worked for several years in Madrid’s academy system and had success with the team’s young teams. He also temporarily took over the first-team dugout earlier this year after Xabi Alonso left.

Fulham would be taking a risk with the appointment. The London club believes Arbeloa’s tactical ideas, leadership, and elite footballing background could make him an interesting long-term fit, even though he lacks the Premier League experience of many candidates.

Javier Aguirre’s “Tri” gets off to a fantastic start as Mexico wins the 2026 World Cup opener 2-0 thanks to goals from Quinones and Raul Jimenez.

There could not have been a more thrilling opening stage for the 2026 World Cup. With a clinical and well-deserved victory, the hosts, Mexico, lived up to the high pre-match expectations at a capacity crowd at Estadio Azteca.

The match concluded 2-0 against a listless South Africa team that found it difficult to establish a presence and ultimately gave in to pressure in the second half, completing the game with just nine men. For the home crowd, Javier Aguirre’s “Tri” gave a powerful performance, guaranteeing the ideal beginning to a tournament they intend to define.

Quinones sparks Azteca celebrations

The crowd’s passion drove Mexico to control the early tempo. After barely four minutes, Raul Jimenez blasted a thunderous left-footed strike, but Williams’ incredible reflex save stopped it. This was the first major opening of the World Cup.

But Bafana Bafana’s opposition did not last long. After a sloppy error by the South African defense, the impasse was broken in the ninth minute. The crowd went into a frenzy when Julian Quinones pounced on the loose ball to score the opening goal after a center-back gave up possession on the edge of the box. The ‘Tri’ forward continued to be a threat, and soon after, a long-range attempt that went just wide of the post almost doubled his total.

Foster rose to meet a set-piece in the 37th minute, giving South Africa a momentary threat, but his header missed the mark. Before the break, Mexico reasserted its dominance; therefore, the break proved to be a brief respite. Before Julian Quinones hit the woodwork following a knockdown by Brian Gutierrez, Raul Jimenez’s incredible acrobatic attempt was stopped by another excellent Williams save.

Sithole sees red as Jimenez seals the points

The hosts continued to take advantage of defensive weaknesses in the second half. After a bad clearing, Williams nearly gave Fidalgo a second, but Gutierrez blasted over the bar as Mexico looked for a buffer.

In the 51st minute, Sithole took down Brian Gutierrez on the edge of the box, officially ending the game. Without hesitation, the referee issued a straight red card for a professional foul. The tourists would never fully recover from the psychological damage.

In the 67th minute, the second goal finally came in to seal the victory. Raul Jimenez met a precise cross from Alvarado with a stunning header that propelled the ball beyond Williams to make it 2-0.

After securing the points, Aguirre used the occasion to present the future of Mexican football by giving 17-year-old Gilberto Mora his tournament debut. Mora joined the match to thunderous applause.

With Zwane losing his head and getting a straight red card for hitting an opponent, the last moments turned into a nightmare for South Africa. After Cesar Montes was sent off for a professional foul on Mudau late in the game, Mexico likewise finished with ten men, while the visitors were reduced to nine.

Mexico easily won, earning the opening three points of their World Cup campaign despite the late dismissals. Now, South Africa needs to rapidly reorganize in preparation for their match against the Czech Republic, who are playing South Korea in the group’s other fixture tonight.

Watch the match highlights here:

Watch the opening ceremony here: