Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – The smallest nation by population in the tournament comes face-to-face with the four-time winners on Sunday when tiny Curacao plays Germany in a true World Cup fairytale. Curacao, a Caribbean island of 160,000 people, is making its World Cup debut, a beneficiary of FIFA’s decision to expand the field to 48 teams this year. Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann described the match in Houston as a meeting of “David and Goliath,” while his opposite number Dick Advocaat believes his charges can “steal some points.”
The Curacao players’ carefree attitude has already won admirers, with players singing and dancing bare-chested on the team bus in a viral social media post. “We are a nation that loves to have a little bit of a party as well,” said captain Leandro Bacuna. “We love to have fun.” Advocaat, 78, is the oldest coach in World Cup history. Despite his vast experience at both club and international level – he has also taken charge of the Netherlands and South Korea at a World Cup – the Dutchman said the team spirit that carried Curacao to the tournament was unique. “The team spirit in this team is something I’ve never seen before. As a country, we will give everything to win for the island, but we’re not the favourite,” he said on Saturday.
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Nagelsmann compared the match to a domestic club clash. “This is a German Cup situation. David versus Goliath,” he said, and warned his team: “You never win a match just because you’re favourites.” Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will start in his fifth World Cup.
Iran’s participation in the tournament was shrouded in doubt for months after the United States and Israel launched an aerial assault on the Islamic Republic that became a wider Middle East war. But on Sunday, the team is due to fly into Los Angeles from its training camp in Mexico on the eve of its first game. Iran takes on New Zealand in the city on Monday, marking the first time that a World Cup host has hosted a country it is at war with. However, the Iran team has had to leave many of its support staff in Tijuana after the US refused to grant visas to 15 administrative and management personnel.
In other games on Sunday, the Netherlands play a Japan team weakened by the absence of their injured captain Wataru Endo, who announced on Thursday that his international career was over. Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu on Saturday described Liverpool midfielder Endo as “hurt” and apologised after saying it had been his call that the 33-year-old should not be involved following a foot injury.
In Philadelphia, Ivory Coast faces Ecuador, and Sweden plays Tunisia in the final match of the day. Sweden had a curious route to the tournament, having failed to win a single match in the qualifying group phase. They only obtained a ticket thanks to their UEFA Nations League performance. Sweden, though, boasts a strikeforce featuring Premier League stars Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres.
Five-time champions Brazil were held to a 1-1 draw by a powerful Morocco side as they lit the touchpaper on their challenge on Saturday. Scotland got their first World Cup win since 1990, as John McGinn’s deflected strike gave them a 1-0 win against Haiti. And Australia stunned Turkey 2-0 to give the Socceroos a strong chance of progressing from Group D.
© 2024 AFP
