Germany secured a 7-1 victory over World Cup debutants Curaçao in their opening Group E match on Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston. The win follows consecutive group-stage exits for the four-time champions and puts them in a position to progress to the knockout stages for the first time since 2014. The match began with Germany taking a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute when Felix Nmecha scored a one-time shot into the near post following an assist from Florian Wirtz. Curaçao, the smallest country to ever appear in the tournament, leveled the score at 1-1 in the 21st minute with a goal from Livano Comenencia. Germany regained the lead in the 38th minute through a Nico Schlotterbeck header off a Nathaniel Brown corner kick. Kai Havertz then scored Germany’s third goal in first-half stoppage time on a penalty awarded after Nmecha was tripped by Riechedly Bazoer. Germany extended their lead immediately after the break with Jamal Musiala scoring in the 47th minute. Nathaniel Brown added a fifth goal in the 68th minute, followed by a goal from Deniz Undav in the 78th minute. Havertz scored his second goal of the match in the 88th minute to finalize the scoreline. The six-goal margin fell short of the World Cup record of nine goals. The match featured the largest age gap between coaches in World Cup history, with Curaçao’s 78-year-old Dick Advocaat facing 38-year-old Julian Nagelsmann, the youngest coach in the tournament. Germany’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who returned from international retirement for the tournament, made one save. Germany will face Ivory Coast in Toronto on Saturday, while Curaçao faces Ecuador in Kansas City.