Late goals and lopsided wins mark World Cup Day 4

Germany routed World Cup debutants Curaçao 7-1 in Houston, with Kai Havertz scoring twice after Curaçao briefly equalized with their first-ever World Cup goal.nbcnews
Amad Diallo came off the bench to score in the 90th minute, giving Ivory Coast a 1-0 win over Ecuador and ending their 19-game unbeaten run.skysports
Japan’s Daichi Kamada headed in an 88th-minute equalizer to earn a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands, while Sweden thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in Monterrey.apnews

2026 World Cup Day 4: Germany and Sweden Run Riot as Late Drama Steals the Show

The fourth day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup produced 19 goals across four matches on Sunday, with Germany and Sweden delivering commanding performances while late strikes in the other two games provided moments of high drama.

Germany Overwhelm Curaçao in Houston

Germany announced their tournament intentions with a 7-1 demolition of World Cup debutants Curaçao in Houston. The four-time champions, looking to avoid a third consecutive group-stage elimination, were briefly rattled when Livano Comenencia equalized in the 21st minute with a left-footed strike through a crowded box — the first World Cup goal in Curaçao’s history. Kai Havertz scored twice as Germany pulled away late in the first half, with Nico Schlotterbeck also heading home before the break. The second half brought further goals from Jamal Musiala, Deniz Undav, and others to complete the rout.nbcnews

Sweden Cruise Past Tunisia

In Monterrey, Sweden dismantled Tunisia 5-1 to take command of Group F. Tunisia, who went through their entire qualifying campaign without conceding a goal, were breached inside six minutes. Yasin Ayari scored twice, while Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak were also on target as Sweden cruised to a dominant victory. Tunisia coach Sabri Lamouchi described the defeat as “painful” and warned his players they faced an early exit unless they improved.thenationalnews

Late Goals Light Up Day 4

The day’s most dramatic moments came in the closing minutes of the other two fixtures. In Arlington, Texas, Daichi Kamada scored on a header off Koki Ogawa’s corner kick in the 88th minute to rescue Japan a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands, according to the Associated Press. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville had scored for the Dutch before Crystal Palace’s Kamada struck with his deft deflection.bbc

In Philadelphia, Manchester United winger Amad Diallo came off the bench to score in the 90th minute, giving Ivory Coast a 1-0 victory over Ecuador and ending the South Americans’ 19-game unbeaten streak. The goal made Diallo the youngest Ivorian to score at a World Cup, according to Yahoo Sports, capping Ivory Coast’s first World Cup appearance in 12 years with a memorable win.skysports