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The 2026 FIFA World Cup offered more exciting group stage matches. Germany made a strong statement, defeating Curaçao 7-1. The Netherlands, on the other hand, twice took the lead against Japan, but ultimately settled for a 2-2 draw. In Group F, Sweden clearly dominated, beating Tunisia 5-1, while the Ivory Coast managed a close victory over Ecuador, winning 1-0 and joining Germany at the top of Group E.

Germany started the tournament in style. They won 7-1 against debutant Curaçao in Houston and immediately showed that they are among the teams that want to go far in the championship. In the 6th minute, Felix Nmecha scored the fastest goal of the tournament so far. The Germans then capitalized on every mistake of their opponent, with Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, and Deniz Undav all getting on the scoresheet. Havertz scored twice and proved that he can be one of the main attacking weapons for the German team.

Curaçao lost heavily, but still took a historic moment from the match. Livano Comenencia scored the first goal for this Caribbean national team in a World Cup, and the stadium applauded him for it. Curaçao is the smallest country by population and area to ever play in a World Cup, and despite the defeat, its participation was a symbolic story of the tournament. However, Germany was not looking for romance and clearly showed the difference in quality, speed, and efficiency.

The Ivory Coast also managed an important match in Group E, defeating Ecuador 1-0. It wasn't as one-sided a performance as Germany's, but close victories like this can be crucial in the expanded format of the World Cup. The Ivory Coast earned three points, kept a clean sheet, and created a good starting position for the next matches. Ecuador, on the other hand, started the tournament with a defeat, despite being a team that can be challenging due to its speed, physical fitness, and strong play in midfield.

The loss is even more painful for Ecuador because Group E has a clear structure after the first round. Germany and the Ivory Coast both have three points, while Ecuador and Curaçao remain without a point. Therefore, the next match will be very important for the South American team. If Ecuador wants to realistically compete for a place in the next round, it will have to perform well not only in terms of results but also in terms of productivity, because in the first match, it failed to find a way through the organized defense of its opponent.

The match between the Netherlands and Japan brought a completely different story. The Netherlands took the lead in the 51st minute with a header from Virgil van Dijk, assisted by Ryan Gravenberch. However, Japan quickly responded with a goal from Keita Nakamura. The Netherlands then regained the lead with a beautiful shot from Crysencio Summerville, but even the second lead for the team led by Ronald Koeman was not enough.

The Japanese team once again showed discipline, patience, and the ability to punish the opponent's mistakes. In the 88th minute, Daichi Kamada equalized from a corner kick, securing the final score of 2-2. For the Netherlands, this is a loss because they had the match twice in their favor. For Japan, on the other hand, it is a very valuable point against a European favorite and proof that they will not just be a supporting player in Group F.

In the same group, Sweden also made a strong statement. They won 5-1 against Tunisia and took the lead in Group F after the first round. The main player of the match was Yasin Ayari, who scored two goals. He opened the scoring due to a mistake by the Tunisian defense and added another goal in stoppage time with a long-range shot. Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres, and Mattias Svanberg also got on the scoresheet.

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Tunisia briefly rallied when Omar Rekik headed in to make it 2-1, but after the break, the Swedes completely took control of the match. Their offense was direct, fast, and very confident. The combination of Isak, Gyökeres, and Ayari could be a major problem for opponents in future matches.

Based on these results, Germany is the biggest winner of the evening, having significantly benefited not only from the three points but also from the goal difference. The Ivory Coast managed an important battle for points against Ecuador, Sweden showed that they can realistically compete for first place in Group F, and the Netherlands must regret the lost ending. The first round once again confirmed that the 2026 World Cup offers not only clear victories for the favorites but also matches where concentration matters until the very last minute.

gnews.cz - GH

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