Australia Shocks Türkiye and Curaçao Makes History on a Thrilling Day 4 at the 2026 World Cup

The victory places Australia second in Group D on goal difference, behind the United States, and puts them in a strong position to advance to the knockout stages for the second consecutive World Cup .

Germany 7-1 Curaçao: Dominance and a Historic Debut Goal

Germany emphatically opened their World Cup campaign with a 7-1 rout of debutants Curaçao at NRG Stadium in Houston, securing their first win in a World Cup opening match since they won the tournament in 2014 .

Kai Havertz and substitute Deniz Undav, who contributed a goal and two assists, were the stars of a dominant German performance . The European giants will face tougher tests against Ecuador and Ivory Coast, but their powerful start places them in a strong position to advance to the knockout rounds for the first time in twelve years .

For Curaçao, the smallest nation ever to participate in a men’s World Cup, the match was still a defining moment in their football history . In the 88th minute, with the game long decided, Livano Comenencia scored a goal that sparked wild celebrations, netting the country’s first-ever World Cup goal. Despite the lopsided scoreline, it was a moment that embodied the fairy-tale nature of their qualification .

Netherlands 2-2 Japan: A Tournament Classic

The most compelling contest of the day, and perhaps the tournament so far, was a thrilling 2-2 draw between the Netherlands and Japan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas .

Both sides shared the points in a back-and-forth Group F opener that lived up to its billing as a duel between the three-time runners-up and one of Asia's strongest teams . The result leaves Japan atop the group on goal difference, with all four teams still in contention .

Group Stage Action Continues

The opening fixtures for Groups E and F completed on Sunday with two more matches that will shape the group standings:

• Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador, a matchup of two potential dark-horse candidates, took place in Philadelphia with Moisés Caicedo leading Ecuador .
• Sweden, managed by Graham Potter and making their return after missing the previous tournament, faced off against Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico .

Final scores from these two matches were not fully compiled in initial post-match roundups.

Saturday’s Historic Context

The day’s action followed a historic Saturday on June 13, which saw several major storylines:

• Scotland 1-0 Haiti: Scotland won their first World Cup match in 36 years thanks to a deflected John McGinn strike in Foxborough, Massachusetts. It was a landmark victory that ended a nearly four-decade drought on the global stage .
• Qatar 1-1 Switzerland: The Asian champions earned their first-ever World Cup point in dramatic fashion. A 95th-minute own goal by Switzerland’s Miro Muheim cancelled out Breel Embolo’s first-half penalty, snatching a draw for Qatar in Santa Clara, California .
• Brazil 1-1 Morocco: Vinícius Júnior equalized for Brazil after Ismael Saibari had given Morocco a shock lead, ensuring the five-time champions avoided an opening defeat in East Rutherford, New Jersey .