The fourth day of the 2026 World Cup proved to be the most goal-rich: four matches in Groups E and F produced 15 goals. The night's biggest sensation — Japan snatched a draw against the Netherlands in the 89th minute, while Sweden demolished Tunisia 5:1, setting a personal tournament record.
Night Results
Germany — Curaçao 7:1 (Group E)
The match kicked off at 22:00 Kyiv time at a stadium in Houston. Curaçao — the smallest country in World Cup history — conceded to Felix Nmecha as early as the 6th minute. However, in the 21st minute Levan Komensia equalised — Curaçao's first-ever goal at a World Cup. The joy was short-lived: Nico Schlotterbeck restored Germany's lead in the 38th minute, and Kai Havertz converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time. After the break the Mannschaft did not stop: Musiala (47'), Brandt (68'), Undav (78') and Havertz's second goal (88') completed the rout. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann said after the match: "We really needed this convincing win. We needed that confidence." The result puts Germany top of Group E after the first round.
Netherlands — Japan 2:2 (Group F)
The match in Dallas (01:00 Kyiv time) was the most dramatic contest of the day. The first half passed without goals, but the second exploded with four goals in 39 minutes. Virgil van Dijk opened the scoring in the 50th minute with a header from Gravenberch's corner. Japan responded in the 57th — Keito Nakamura found the net with a low strike. Cresencio Summerville restored the Dutch lead in the 64th minute, curling the ball into the corner. It seemed the Netherlands were heading for three points, but in the 89th minute substitute Koki Ogawa delivered a corner, the ball deflected off Daichi Kamada's head and flew into the net — 2:2. Both teams start with one point in Group F.
Ivory Coast — Ecuador 1:0 (Group E)
In Philadelphia (04:00 Kyiv time) 89 minutes of play could not produce a winner: Ecuador hit the post twice in the first half. But in the 90th minute substitute Amad Diallo finished a cut-back from Wilfried Singo with a precise strike — 1:0. Ivory Coast, returning to the World Cup after a 12-year absence, claimed three points and joined Germany at the top of Group E.
Sweden — Tunisia 5:1 (Group F)
The night match in Monterrey (07:00 Kyiv time) turned into a Swedish showcase. The Scandinavians led 2:0 by half-time, controlling the tempo throughout. Yasin Ayari scored twice and was named player of the match. The 5:1 victory was the first time since 1938 that Sweden had scored five goals in a single World Cup match. Thanks to the earlier Netherlands–Japan draw that same day, Sweden topped Group F.
Standings
Group E
- Germany — 3 points (1 match, goal difference +6)
- Ivory Coast — 3 points (1 match, goal difference +1)
- Ecuador — 0 points (1 match)
- Curaçao — 0 points (1 match)
Group F
- Sweden — 3 points (1 match, goal difference +4)
- Netherlands — 1 point (1 match)
- Japan — 1 point (1 match)
- Tunisia — 0 points (1 match)
Off the Pitch
Sweden's record: The 5:1 win over Tunisia was the first time since 1938 that the Swedish national team had scored five goals in a single World Cup match — a statistical fact that underlines the scale of the team's performance.
Curaçao's first-ever World Cup goal: Levan Komensia wrote his name into history by scoring the first goal for the smallest nation by population (around 150,000 inhabitants) at a World Cup. Despite the heavy defeat, the moment was symbolic for the island nation.
Nagelsmann's statement: Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann stressed the importance of a convincing win for the team's psychological state after the match: "We had to show the fans that we are capable of performing at this level."
Japan without their captain: According to NBC Sports, Japan played the match without injured captain Wataru Endo, who failed to recover in time for the start of the tournament — a loss the team compensated for with team spirit and Kamada's 89th-minute goal.
Today, 15 June, new group-stage matches are scheduled at the Mundial — a full preview will be published in the evening preview column at 18:45 Kyiv time.
