Sweden become top team of Group F with three points went ahead of Japan and Netherlands
DNA
NEW YORK: Sweden’s Yasin Ayari scored two sensational goals and Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres also got on the scoresheet as they cruised to a 5-1 World Cup Group F victory over Tunisia on Sunday.
After scraping through to the finals after a dismal qualifying campaign, they responded by scoring five goals in a World Cup match for the first time since 1938 when they defeated Cuba 8-0.
Ayari — the son of a Tunisian father and a Moroccan mother — put Sweden ahead in the seventh minute after goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh fluffed his lines trying to clear under pressure from Isak, and what followed set the tone for the evening.
The ball fell to Gyokeres, whose shot was blocked, but Ayari picked up the loose ball and blasted home a rocket of a shot to send the yellow-clad fans in the stands into raptures, though the player’s own celebrations were more muted.
Set up to defend and hit Sweden on the break, Tunisia then got a taste of their own medicine as they committed players forward and chased an equaliser on the half-hour mark, only to come undone on the counterattack.
The Swedes won the ball in their own box and played it to Gyokeres, who took it on his chest and instantly released Isak down the left. The striker ran at defender Montassar Talbi before cutting inside and slotting the ball past Chamakh, who should have done better.
The Tunisians did little in the opening half and struggled to recalibrate their game-plan after going behind, but they still managed to pull a goal back before the break, defender Omar Rekik scoring with a superb glancing header that was his side’s first effort on target.
Miscues
Isak and Gyokeres have both proven to be fearsome forwards individually but there were a number of miscues early in the second half as they struggled to play on the same wavelength.
They eventually clicked again on the hour mark when Isak stole the ball from Ellyes Skhiri and teed up his strike partner to make it 3-1 with a simple finish, and Gyokeres could have added a couple more to his total with some better finishing.
Substitute Mattias Svanberg scored straight after coming off the bench in the 84th minute, and though the goal was initially disallowed for offside, it was allowed to stand after a VAR review.
Germany cruise to 7-1 win over debutants Curacao in Houston
Felix Nmecha scores fastest goal of tournament after just six minutes for Germany
MEXICO: Germany began their World Cup campaign with a thumping 7-1 victory over debutants Curacao on Sunday in a match where history was made on several fronts and the one-sided result could not overshadow the occasion for the island nation.
Germany’s Felix Nmecha scored the fastest goal of the tournament so far after six minutes and Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz (two), Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav also netted in an easy outing for Julian Nagelsmann’s side.
But the biggest cheer from the 68,021 crowd came for Livano Comenencia’s 21st-minute equaliser for Curacao to score their first goal at a World Cup as they became the smallest nation by population size and area to play at the global finals.
Curacao’s sizeable support enjoyed their historic day out under Dick Advocaat, who became the oldest coach in World Cup history at the age of 78, and cheered to the end on an occasion perhaps most believed would never come.
“We expected to do more against Germany, but they were too strong,” Advocaat said. “We conceded three easy goals and 4-1 would have been a better score.
“Despite this 7-1 outcome, the joy of the fans is fantastic. This is not a disgrace, we can still be proud. We still have two games to go and those could end differently.
“The players will not be downcast, it was still great to play in this game.”
Recalled goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is now also the oldest player to feature for Germany at a major tournament aged 40, beating the previous record holder Lothar Matthaeus.
“It took us a few minutes to get back into the game after they equalised,” Nagelsmann said. “Curacao can play football too, as we saw, and I’m curious to see how they’ll fare in the group going forward.
“I’m very satisfied with us scoring seven goals and our performance for the most part. A winning start is always important and we’re glad we managed it.”
Cold comfort for Curacao
Curacao can take some cold comfort from the fact that the scoreline in their Group E opener matched Germany’s 7-1 win over hosts Brazil in the 2014 semi-finals and that on their day the four-times World Cup winners can be unstoppable.
This was not quite at that level, but the Germans were still largely clinical, controlled possession and created chances at will to send a message to rivals at this World Cup that they should be in the conversation around potential winners.
Germany’s Kai Havertz scores seventh goal past Curacao’s Eloy Room, Houston Stadium, Houston, Texas, US, June 14, 2026. — Reuters
Curacao are known as The Blue Wave but instead it was wave after wave of white shirts that confronted them from the start.
Parity lasted six minutes before Germany’s quick passing on the edge of the box created a scoring chance for Nmecha, but the second goal was scored by Curacao as the plan to hit their opponents on the break worked.
Comenencia’s shot from 15 metres took a deflection that lifted the ball past Neuer.
Germany were back in front after 38 minutes, though, with a simple glancing header by Schlotterbeck and from there it became a procession.
Germany won a penalty that Havertz converted before Musiala extended the lead early in the second period leaving Brown, Undav and Havertz, with his second goal, to complete the rout.
India register commanding win over Pakistan in Women’s T20 World Cup clash
Girls in Blue bowl out Pakistan for 106 in 17 overs after setting 171-run target
LONDON: Deepti Sharma led India’s bowling attack with a five-wicket haul as they beat Pakistan by 64 runs in their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 encounter at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Sunday.
Chasing 171, Pakistan were bowled out for 106 in 17 overs, as India’s disciplined bowling attack staged a strong comeback after a steady start from the opposition.
Pakistan began positively, with the openers putting on crucial runs. Muneeba Ali led from the front and applied early pressure on the Indian attack.
Deepti made the breakthrough by ending the 38-run opening stand, dismissing Gull Feroza for 12 off nine deliveries, which included two boundaries.
Muneeba and Ayesha Zafar then steadied the innings and took Pakistan past the 50-run mark, but Deepti struck again to remove Ayesha for 12 off eight balls, leaving Pakistan at 53/2 in 6.3 overs.
Despite Muneeba’s resistance, Pakistan continued to lose wickets at regular intervals. Shree Charani added to the pressure by dismissing Saira Jabeen for two runs.
Muneeba was eventually run out after a composed 41 off 35 deliveries, including five boundaries, leaving Pakistan struggling at 75/4 in 10.5 overs.
Captain Fatima Sana fell for a duck, dismissed by Shafali Verma, while Natalia Pervaiz contributed seven runs before becoming the sixth wicket to fall.
Charani claimed her third wicket by removing Rameen Shamim, reducing Pakistan further after she managed just four runs from six deliveries.
Deepti then returned to clean up the tail, dismissing Aliya Riaz and Tasmia Rubab before Nashra Sandhu became the final wicket, sealing a dominant Indian victory.
Deepti finished with outstanding figures of 5/10 in four overs, while Charani took three wickets. Shafali Verma also chipped in with a wicket as India wrapped up a comprehensive win.
Batting first, the Girls in Blue posted 170-6 in their allotted 20 overs, courtesy of a crucial partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur.
India made a mixed start as opener Shafali Verma opened the scoring with a six off the very first delivery, but was dismissed later in the same over by spinner Sadia Iqbal.
Jemimah Rodrigues came to the crease after Mandhana was already finding runs at the other end following an early dismissal, aiming to steady the innings and rebuild momentum towards a competitive total.
However, India suffered another setback as Rodrigues was dismissed cheaply for one off seven balls by Tasmia Rubab, leaving the team reeling at 18-2 after 3.2 overs.
Kaur quickly found her rhythm after walking in, and alongside Smriti, she built a solid partnership that helped India cruise past the 50-run mark in the ninth over.
Mandhana looked in sublime touch with the bat, easing the pressure as runs flowed freely, before bringing up her 34th T20I fifty of her career.
