Germany 7 - 1 Curacao

Netherlands 2 - 2 Japan

Ivory Coast 1 - 0 Ecuador

Sweden 5 - 1 Tunisia

An absolute goal-glut of a day saw Germany enter the tournament with intent, Netherlands and Japan tussle for supremacy and Ivory Coast pull off a slightly unfavoured win against some people's dark horses Ecuador.

The day’s highlights:

• Germany completed the first rout of the tournament, scoring the earliest goal of the tournament and dismantling Curacao, despite an initially spirited attempt to hang in the game by the underdogs. 

• Netherlands and Japan played out a very entertaining encounter which exploded into life in the second half. While the first half lacked a little, the second more than made up for it with all four goals coming after the break. 

• Ecuador showed once more why if you don’t take your chances at a World Cup, you’ll inevitably be punished. They were on top for much of this open game, and hit the crossbar twice. But their profligacy was their undoing as Ivory Coast scored a 'sickener' of a late goal to give Ecuador a mountain to climb in the group. 

How were the games? What did we learn?

Early goals, late goals, lots of goals, and more goals. Today was the highest-scoring day of the tournament so far in what was an entertaining day of football.

***

Germany v Curacao

Germany dismantled Curacao in what briefly threatened to be an upset, but instead turned into a clear rout of the smallest nation to have ever qualified for a World Cup. 

The highlight was probably the opening goal from Felix Nmecha - as sweet a strike as you’ll see. Also high up the list of great moments was Curacao’s goal that came on the counter and was well taken by Liviano Comenencia, creating history for the island nation. 

But for all of the magic that moment created, Germany had no room for sentiment and racked up a cricket score in what was an efficient display. 

Did we learn anything about Germany? Probably not much, except that they look good utilising overloads well in wide areas. They’ll face much sterner opposition yet.

***

Netherlands v Japan

After an absolutely abysmallyboring first half, this game popped into life in the 51st minute after Virgin van Dijk rose to meet a cross from deep from Ryan Gravenberch. 

Up until that point, both sides seemed to have been content with a draw and it looked like it was heading from “much-hyped” to “flat as a pancake” until the Dutch goal, which sparked Japan into life somewhat.

Before you knew it, after just seven minutes, Japan were back in it from a strike by Nakamura on the edge of the box. Game on.

Mere minutes passed again before Crysencio Summerville curled home to make it 2-1, and the Netherlands started to take control of the game.

Both sides probed for a while with the Netherlands ultimately sitting back to protect their lead. That came to their cost in the 88th minute as Japan scored from a Kamada header following a corner. 

2-2 the ultimate result, after an extremely entertaining second half which more than made up for the first.

***

Ivory Coast v Ecuador

A really entertaining encounter, which got off to a great start. That perhaps didn’t look the case perhaps when you look at the first half scoreline, but it disguises that Ecuador hit the crossbar twice, missed again narrowly on several other occasions, and Ivory Coast had  some chances of their own on the counter. 

Several midfield yellows left Ivory Coast walking on a bit of a tightrope as they came into the second half, a half which continued to entertain despite lacking an end product. Ecuador showed why they don’t often concede many, but also why they don’t score many either as the deadlock continued.

The longer the game went on the more you thought Ecuador’s earlier profligacy might cost them. And so it proved to be when supersub Amad Diallo scored in the 90th minute to silence the predominantly Ecuadorian crowd. Ouch.

That could be enough for Ivory Coast to make it into the Round of 32. Conversely, it’s going to be a real uphill struggle for Ecuador from here. 

***

Sweden v Tunisia

Diabolically scheduled for 4am Sweden time, this game nevertheless had a great audience of dedicated Swedes ready to cheer on Graham Potter’s men, with bars open late in Stockholm to accommodate the action. I suspect a few people might be phoning in sick today as a result. 

It was just six minutes in before we saw the deadlock broken in this one, with a long ball over the top playing in Isak, a follow up shot cleared off the line and then the number 18 Ayari (whose mother is Tunisian) smashing in a peach from range with the keeper half out of the picture. Mum's going to be raging.

And then, again, out of nowhere, Sweden hit Tunisia via Isak on the counter again with a spectacular finish into the bottom right corner. A Potter masterclass after Tunisia lost their shape while pushing forwards. Basics ignored by Tunisia and punished by Sweden.

Sweden won’t have it this easy in every game, but this was an excellent counter-attacking performance and a very deserved win as the nights become light and we head towards Midsommar here in Sweden.

But Sweden wouldn’t have it all their own way. Tunisia pulled one back from a header by the number 4 Rekik after a cross by Hannibal - and that kicked the game into another gear for a while as the first half came to a close. 

Isak and Gyokores combined brilliantly for Sweden’s third after an uncharacteristic mistake by the normally comfortable Skhiri saw him run into instant trouble, tackled high by Isak who then played Gyokores in for a beauty of a finish into the bottom left corner to make it 3-1.

Late drama followed after Matthias Svanberg had a goal ruled out for offside that was then overturned by VAR due to the tiniest of touches from Isak triggering a new phase of play. That made it 4-1, and it was a history-maker. With his goal coming 12 seconds after he came off the bench, that's the fastest ever World Cup goal by a sub.

Then, as if to outdo his first excellent goal, Ayari made it 5 with a belter from range. What a night for him.

19 goals in one day?

Bring on day five!