Two very different games but two very entertaining games as Germany-Curacao and Ivory Coast-Ecuador got their group stages underway today from Houston and Philadelphia respectively.

IVORY COAST 1, ECUADOR 0

For 89 minutes, the player of the match was going to be the crossbar. That was until the 90th minute when substitute Amad Diallo finished of a brilliant centering pass from Wilfried Singo at the top of the box for the Elepahnts to secure all three points at the death.

Ecuador will rue two massive chances in the first half, with John Yeboah's attacking third steal and solo curling effort rattling the bar in the 23rd minute followed by Alan Minda's almost top corner striker off a feed from Pedro Vite hitting the woodwork in the 30th.

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Despite hitting the bar three times, Ecuador's official tally of 1-for-12 shooting was just not enough to test Yahia Fofana's net as the Ivorian keeper finished the night with just one official save.

Ivory Coast fared slightly better, with 4-for-15 shooting on the night, also pinging the same crossbar just after halftime when Yan Diomande's run down the right side before finding a streaking Elye Wahi on a near post run but Nice attacker's redirected shot rose too much and could only rattle the woodwork.

GERMANY 7, CURACAO 1

I do not know how much we learned from this game besides Curacao can play Germany as well as Brazil can at home in a World Cup semi final and the answer to a wonderful trivia question.

Nmecha, Schlotterbeck, Havertz, Musiala, Brown, Undav, and Havertz again on the extra point were the German goal scorers. They created five big chances in the match and probably finished most of them.

We only care about the second goal of the match, the first ever Curacaoan tally at a World Cup

Livano Comenencia you are the national hero and all time legend as the first member of the Blue Wave to score in a World Cup.

Curacao actually faired pretty well in the first half, obviously getting an equalizer and holding off the floodgates until giving away a penalty right before halftime and then again right after the restart. Eloy Room's goal was under siege most of the second half as the former Columbus Crew man had four saves to stem the tide as best he could.

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GROUP OVERVIEW

The big result here is Ivory Coast separating themselves from Ecuador. Had that game finished 0-0 it's likely second place would have been decided on how many goals you could put past Curacao.

Whether or not either Ivory Coast or Ecuador can get a result off a Germany team that appears to be firing on all cylinders is about the only intrigue left here. Otherwise we're staring at a Germany-Ivory Coast-Ecuador-Curacao finish in this group on nine-six-three-zero points respectively.

But Curacao have their goal now they just need their first result which will certainly spoil someone's night and seeding or spot in the knockout round.

NEXT MATCHES

Saturday, June 20

Match 34: Germany vs. Ivory Coast, 4 p.m. on Fox (Toronto)

Match 35: Ecuador vs. Curacao, 8 p.m. on FS1 (Kansas City, Mo.)

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