Kai Havertz wins Player of Match as Germany beats Curacao

Kai Havertz earned the Player of the Match award as Germany defeated Curacao 7-1 on Sunday. The accolade came after Thomas Muller praised the Arsenal forward before the game. The match served as Germany's World Cup opener. Havertz converted a penalty to give Germany a 3-1 lead just before half-time. He added a second goal in the 88th minute, chipping the goalkeeper to seal the 7-1 result. Thomas Muller said Havertz is an anchor player and should play every minute, especially against big teams. Havertz indeed featured for the full 90 minutes of the Curacao fixture. Germany’s next group matches are against Ivory Coast on June 20 and Ecuador on June 25. The opening win should leave them in a strong position to reach the knockout stage.