Group E of the World Cup in North America seems to already have all the answers to the questions that were asked before the tournament began. Even before the opening matches, Germany in this group was regarded as the sole favorite for first place and all the prerogatives that came with it in the form of an easy opponent in the round of 16. Côte d'Ivoire and Ecuador looked like contenders for the second spot. After two rounds it seems as if even here the only thing left is to formalize the matter. Ecuador not only lost to a direct rival, but also somehow failed to beat the weakest team in the World Cup. And this is not the author's cliché hung on the Curaçao team. In terms of play, the debutant has joined the ranks of the World Cup's worst teams, but thanks to an unimaginable stroke of luck, just like Qatar against Switzerland, managed to secure one point. In turn, Côte d'Ivoire in both matches was so convincing that they could beat not only Ecuador but Germany. Despite the defeat to the latter, the African players gained experience that will come in handy in the knockout stage. A win over Curaçao guarantees Côte d'Ivoire second place in the group and a fairly serious opponent in the Round of 16: France or Norway. Most likely it will be the Scandinavian side, since only a victory in the head-to-head with the world runners-up will allow them to win the group and push France to second. Curaçao can also advance to the knockout stage if they beat Côte d'Ivoire. However, the World Cup debutant conceded seven goals to Germany and, miraculously, did not concede any of the seven 'intended' goals from Ecuadorian players. It is unlikely that the persistent and determined African side will be as wasteful as the South American one. Côte d'Ivoire was excellent at coming out from the press and launched sharp counterattacks at Manuel Neuer's goal, so they should surely cope with Curaçao's defense. Moreover, the African team has exactly what the Ecuadorians lacked — physical power that will help break through Curaçao's fragile defense. Surely the Africans will score goals already in the first half, force their opponents to open up, and then finish what they started with a rout.