World Cup Matchday Roundup: Germany Hit Seven, Japan Rescue Draw Against Netherlands

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered another busy matchday, with Germany producing the headline result, Japan refusing to fold against the Netherlands, and Australia opening their campaign with a confident win.

Germany overwhelm Curaçao in Group E

Germany made one of the strongest statements of the group stage so far, beating Curaçao 7-1 in Group E. Curaçao briefly enjoyed a historic World Cup moment when Livano Comenencia levelled the match in the 21st minute, but Germany quickly regained control and turned the game into a rout.

Felix Nmecha opened the scoring early before Nico Schlotterbeck restored Germany’s lead. Kai Havertz then struck before half-time and added another late, while Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav also found the net. The result gives Germany an emphatic start and immediately puts pressure on the rest of the group.

Japan twice fight back to draw with the Netherlands

One of the most entertaining matches of the tournament so far came in Group F, where the Netherlands and Japan shared a 2-2 draw. Virgil van Dijk gave the Dutch the lead shortly after half-time, only for Keito Nakamura to bring Japan level minutes later.

Crysencio Summerville restored the Netherlands’ advantage in the 64th minute, but Japan kept pushing until the closing stages. Daichi Kamada delivered the decisive equaliser in the 89th minute, earning Japan a valuable point and leaving both teams with mixed feelings after a high-tempo opener.

Australia punish Türkiye’s missed chances

Earlier in Group D, Australia defeated Türkiye 2-0 at BC Place in Vancouver. Türkiye had more of the ball and created a high volume of attempts, but Australia were sharper in the moments that mattered.

Nestory Irankunda put Australia ahead in the 27th minute, and Connor Metcalfe doubled the lead in the 75th. The win gives Australia an important platform in a competitive group, while Türkiye will feel they let a promising performance slip away without a goal.

What it means

The latest results show how quickly the World Cup group stage can shift. Germany now look like an early force in Group E, Japan showed resilience against elite opposition, and Australia proved that efficiency can matter more than possession.

With more Group E and Group F action still to come, the next round of fixtures could already begin shaping who controls the race for the knockout stage.

Sources checked: ESPN match data and recaps, Yahoo Sports live World Cup coverage, Olympics.com World Cup schedule/live updates.