Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Germany booked their place in the knockout rounds of the World Cup with a dramatic injury-time winner in a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast on Saturday, as a heroic goalkeeping performance helped tiny Curacao clinch their first-ever point in a goalless draw with Ecuador. Substitute Deniz Undav was Germany’s saviour, scoring a 68th-minute equaliser before calmly slotting his second in the fourth minute of stoppage time to settle an enthralling game in Toronto. The result marks the first time since 2014 that Germany has reached the knockout rounds after back-to-back first-round eliminations in the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. “This is exactly what we hoped for and I’m very happy for my team,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
Germany’s come-from-behind victory was made even sweeter later on Saturday as Curacao — the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for the World Cup with just 160,000 inhabitants — dug deep to secure a shock 0-0 draw with Ecuador in Kansas City. The result means the Germans win Group E with a game to spare. Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room was the hero, keeping out a record 15 shots — the most ever saves in a game that did not involve extra time — as the underdogs secured their first-ever World Cup point.
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In Houston, the Netherlands stayed firmly on course for qualification with a stylish 5-1 demolition of Sweden. Sweden, 5-1 winners against Tunisia in their opening Group F match, went into Saturday’s showdown with the Dutch knowing that a victory would guarantee their passage out of the group stage. But Graham Potter’s side were torn apart by a rampant Netherlands team, who roared into a 2-0 lead after just 17 minutes thanks to a brace from Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey. Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo scored twice in the first nine minutes of the second half to put the Dutch 4-0 up, ensuring that Sweden’s lone strike from Anthony Elanga was only ever going to be a consolation goal. Crysencio Summerville completed the Dutch rout with a fifth goal in the 89th minute.
The win leaves the Netherlands, who drew 2-2 with Japan in their opening game, on four points with a healthy plus four goal difference, which is almost certainly likely to be enough to secure a place in the last 32 of the expanded 48-team tournament. Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman was delighted by the manner of his team’s victory. “If you look further at the goals we scored, that will cause fear among opponents,” Koeman said. “The way those goals came about, in transition with a lot of pace and a lot of quality, we can be incredibly dangerous.” The last time Sweden conceded five goals in a World Cup match was the 1958 final against Brazil when they lost 5-2.
In Saturday’s late match, Japan marked the 1,000th game in World Cup history with a rampant 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico. The Japanese, who held the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw in their opening game, are now level on four points with the Dutch after a ruthless performance against Tunisia, who barely registered a shot on goal. Daichi Kamada, Ayase Ueda (two), and Junya Ito scored the goals as the Blue Samurai extinguished any faint Tunisian hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds.
On Sunday, European champions Spain will aim to put their disappointing opening draw with Cape Verde behind them when they face Saudi Arabia. Spain boss Luis de la Fuente said his players had been stung by the criticism that followed that result. With teenage superstar Lamine Yamal restricted to a second-half substitute appearance on his return from injury, La Roja were laboured in attack as the African archipelago of just over 500,000 people held out for a historic result. “This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up… It’s going to be a completely different story (on Sunday),” De la Fuente said in his pre-match press conference.
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