Saturday's three Matchday 2 fixtures broke about as cleanly as a group stage day can break. The Netherlands turned a meeting with Sweden into the most lopsided result of the tournament so far. Germany dragged themselves through Ivory Coast on the back of one substitute's brace. Ecuador and Curaçao traded blows and left with a point each. Here is the recap.
Netherlands 5, Sweden 1 — MetLife Stadium
The Dutch were ruthless. Memphis Depay scored twice in the first 25 minutes, Cody Gakpo added a third before the break, and Tijjani Reijnders capped a midfield masterclass with a drilled finish from the edge of the box just after the hour. Xavi Simons came off the bench to make it five. Sweden's reply — an Alexander Isak penalty in the 81st — was the consolation everyone in MetLife had already stopped watching.
Ronald Koeman has a problem he will be quite happy to deal with: the Reijnders-Frenkie de Jong midfield pivot is now functioning at a level the Dutch have not had since the 2010 cycle, and the front three is making every defence work for every minute. The Netherlands are through to the Round of 32 with a game to spare. Sweden are not eliminated, but a minus-four goal difference makes the maths against Tunisia on Matchday 3 less forgiving than it sounds.
Germany 2, Ivory Coast 1 — BMO Field, Toronto
Julian Nagelsmann's side were second best for an hour, sat in the dressing room at half-time being booed by their own travelling support, and came out for the second half with Deniz Undav on for a quiet Niclas Füllkrug. Undav scored in the 60th from a Florian Wirtz cutback, missed two clear chances in the 80s, and then scored again in the third minute of added time to win it. Ivory Coast led for stretches through Franck Kessié, hit the post twice, and will be furious at how this got away from them.
The performance was not the breakthrough Germany needed, but the result locks them into the knockouts and gives Nagelsmann a clear answer to the central debate of his squad: when Musiala and Wirtz both start, somebody has to be the 9. Undav, who played 30 minutes, looked like that somebody. The other conversation — about a defensive line that has now conceded two goals in two starts against teams ranked outside the FIFA top twenty — has not gone away.
Ecuador 0, Curaçao 0 — Arrowhead Stadium
The story was Curaçao, again. Patrick Kluivert's debutants defended in a 5-4-1 that turned into a 5-3-2 every time Ecuador slowed down to think, and they made Enner Valencia earn every yard he got. Valencia rattled the post in the second half. Moisés Caicedo bossed midfield without ever really threatening goal. Kendry Páez, starting his first World Cup match at 19, was the most adventurous Ecuadorian on the pitch and still couldn't crack the block.
The point is good for Curaçao — two games, two points, no goals conceded against Ecuador, a competitive scoreline against Germany — and survivable for Ecuador. The Group E maths now says a draw against Germany on Matchday 3 sends both teams through, with Ivory Coast and Curaçao playing for third.
Group E and F: where it stands
- Group F: Netherlands 6 (through), Japan 4, Sweden 1, Tunisia 0. Final-matchday Tunisia-Netherlands and Japan-Sweden decide second.
- Group E: Germany 6 (through), Ecuador 2, Curaçao 2, Ivory Coast 1. Ecuador and Curaçao are tied; head-to-head 0-0 means goal difference and goals scored decide it.
- Best third-place watch: Curaçao at two points with one match left are alive for a best-third spot. The cut-off is still tracking around four points.
Players to take into Sunday
- Tijjani Reijnders. The Milan midfielder is the best player at the tournament nobody outside the Netherlands was talking about three weeks ago. He runs the Dutch midfield without ever looking rushed.
- Deniz Undav. 30 minutes, two goals, the kind of Germany cameo that buys a player a starting spot in the knockouts.
- Kendry Páez. Nineteen years old, his first World Cup start, and he looked the most likely Ecuadorian to score. The Chelsea move that starts in 2027 is suddenly very intriguing.
FAQ
Are the Netherlands officially through? Yes. Six points from two games with a positive goal difference of six guarantees them at minimum a best-third spot, and they can't drop out of the top two even with a Matchday 3 loss to Tunisia.
Is Germany through too? Yes. Six points locks in at least a top-two finish in Group E regardless of their final match against Ecuador.
What does Sweden need now? Win against Tunisia on Matchday 3 and hope Japan don't beat the Netherlands. Even then, the minus-four goal difference makes a best-third route tough.
When is the next round of fixtures? Sunday June 21 — Spain, Belgium, Uruguay and Egypt all in action. See the Scorelisto blog for the Day 11 preview and check soccer scores for live tables throughout the day.