Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

<p>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.</p><p>Substitute Deniz Undav was Germany&#x27;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.</p><p>The result marks the first time since 2014 that Germany have reached the knockout rounds after back-to-back first-round eliminations in the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.</p><p>&quot;This is exactly what we hoped for and I&#x27;m very happy for my team,&quot; Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ07mmBF8jx/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=982&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A832886%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="968" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Germany&#x27;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.</p><p>The result means the Germans win Group E with a game to spare.</p><p>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.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DUTCH SWAT SWEDES </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>In Houston, the Netherlands stayed firmly on course for qualification with a stylish 5-1 demolition of Sweden.</p><p>Sweden, 5-1 winners against Tunisia in their opening Group F match, went into Saturday&#x27;s showdown with the Dutch knowing that a victory would guarantee their passage out of the group stage.</p><p>But Graham Potter&#x27;s side were torn apart by a rampant Netherlands team, who roared into a 2-0 lead after after just 17 minutes thanks to a brace from Sunderland&#x27;s Brian Brobbey.</p><p>Liverpool&#x27;s Cody Gakpo scored twice in the first nine minutes of the second half to put the Dutch 4-0 up, ensuring that Sweden&#x27;s lone strike from Anthony Elanga was only ever going to be a consolation goal.</p><p>Crysencio Summerville completed the Dutch rout with a fifth goal on 89 minutes.</p><p>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.</p><p>Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman was delighted by the manner of his team&#x27;s victory.</p><p>&quot;If you look further at the goals we scored, that will cause fear among opponents,&quot; Koeman said. &quot;The way those goals came about, in transition with a lot of pace and a lot of quality, we can be incredibly dangerous.&quot;</p><p>The last time Sweden conceded five goals in a World Cup match was the 1958 final against Brazil when they lost 5-2.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>1,000th GAME</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ1nHaTDovs/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=982&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A1000431%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="0" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px;min-width:326px;padding:0px;position:absolute"></iframe></div><blockquote class=" instagram-media-registered" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ1nHaTDovs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" id="instagram-media-payload-2" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ1nHaTDovs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"><br/></div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><br/></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;line-height:18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"><br/></div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"><br/></div></div></a><div style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ1nHaTDovs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by FIFA (@fifa)</a></div></div></blockquote><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>In Saturday&#x27;s late match, Japan marked the 1,000th game in World Cup history with a rampant 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>On Sunday, European champions Spain will aim to put their disappointing opening draw with Cape Verde behind them when they face Saudi Arabia.</p><p>Spain boss Luis de la Fuente said his players had been stung by the criticism that followed that result.</p><p>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.</p><p>&quot;This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up... It&#x27;s going to be a completely different story (on Sunday),&quot; De la Fuente said in his pre-match press conference.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/6/21/-not-ridiculous-us-dreams-of-world-cup-glory-after-big-wins-1154">&#x27;Not ridiculous&#x27;: US dreams of World Cup glory after big wins</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/6/18/what-we-learned-after-the-first-round-of-world-cup-games-1329">What we learned after the first round of World Cup games</a><br/><br/><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x0g1tJ8CiHc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>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.</p>

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.

Germany into World Cup last 32 after late comeback, Curacao shock Ecuador

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Sports

Germany into World Cup last 32 after late comeback, Curacao shock Ecuador

Jamaine Punzalan

Published June 21, 2026 02:36 PM PHT

|

Updated June 21, 2026 03:44 PM PHT

Read More:

FIFA

World Cup

football

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.