Houston [US], June 14 (ANI): History was made on Sunday as Curacao scored their first-ever FIFA World Cup goal, with the tournament debutants finding the net against mighty Germany in Sunday’s Group E clash.
Germany were all over them but that did not matter as Livano Comenencia scored a historic goal for his side.
The smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup is holding Germany at 1-1 at the time of filing the report.
Germany attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala was handed a starting role for the Group E opener against Curacao, despite still working his way back to peak form after a broken leg sidelined him for more than six months last year.
In a notable selection call, Germany’s in-form striker Deniz Undav, who finished as the Bundesliga’s second-highest scorer this season behind Harry Kane, started on the bench.
Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, the sole remaining member of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad, made his first international appearance since coming out of retirement.
The 40-year-old was surprisingly recalled to the national team less than a month ago and has been preferred over Oliver Baumann, who was expected to start the tournament as Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper.
For Curacao, head coach Dick Advocaat has named experienced midfielder Tahith Chong in the starting lineup as the Caribbean nation, the smallest country ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, made its historic tournament debut.
Line Ups:
Germany: Manuel Neuer, Nathaniel Brown, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jonathan Tah, Joshua Kimmich; Aleksandar Pavlovic, Felix Nmecha, Florian Wirtz, Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala; Kai Havertz.
Curacao: Eloy Room; Sherel Floranus; Riechedly Bazoer, Sontje Hansen, Armando Obispo, Deveron Fonville, ; Juninho Bacuna, Leandro Bacuna, Livano Comenencia; Tahith Chong, Jurgen Locadia. (ANI)
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