Substitute, Niclas Füllkrug rescued a 1-1 draw for Germany in a tense encounter against Spain in Group E at 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Antonio Rudiger’s 40th minute offside header for Germany summed up an uneventful first half, but it was substitute, Alvaro Morata who lit up the game with a close-range strike in 62nd minute to put Spain in front.
German substitute, Niclas Füllkrug pulled Germany level in the 83rd minute with a ruthless strike which saw both teams eventually settle for a draw.
Spain though still remains top of Group E ahead of Japan who sit second despite losing 1-0 to Costa Rica, as the South American team moved up to third ahead of Germany with all four teams still in with a mathematical chance to qualify from the group.
A competitive start saw both teams scrappily press high but it was Spain who claimed the first chance, which came in the seventh minute as Dani Olmo saw his shot flicked onto the bar by Manuel Neuer.
Serge Gnabry then fired Germany’s first shot wide three minutes later from Thomas Muller’s pass, yet was offside.
Spain soon began to control the game as Jordi Alba saw his 22nd minute effort fly wide of his near-left corner, after cutting in from the left flank.
Ferran Torres four minutes later saw his attempt deflected and saved after Neuer had gave the ball away to Olmo.
Alba, Olmo and Torres then combined in the 33rd minute as Alba unleashed Olmo up the left flank with a through ball, of which Olmo crossed across the box to an unmarked Torres who flicked over the bar.
Germany then won a free-kick in the 39th minute following a foul by Alba on Gnabry up the German’s right flank, from which Antonio Ruidger headed in from the set-piece only for his goal to be ruled offside.
Rudiger then volleyed wide from another free-kick just six minutes later as neither team found a breakthrough goal before half-time.
There wasn’t much improvement after the break neither and Spain manager, Luis Enrique opted to substitute Torres for Morata in the 54th minute.
It was Germany though who had the first proper chance in the 56th minute as Spain goalkeeper, Unai Simon gave the ball away to Ilkay Gundogan, who teed up Joshua Kimmich to shoot but Simon punched the shot away.
Spain however six minutes later found the crucial breakthrough as a quick attack saw Alba collect the ball and curl in a low cross, from which Morara flicked high into the net on his right foot.
Leon Goretzka then was the first to try and respond for Germany as he saw a 64th minute shot blocked by Rodri.
Asensio and Morata then saw chances to double Spain’s lead denied by Neuer as both teams opted to then make changes, amidst a return to the scrappy first-half quality.
Germany though produced a moment of magic in the 83rd minute as substitute, Leroy Sane found Jamal Musiala with a pass into the box, which enabled him to tee up Füllkrug to rifle in from close range to restore parity.
Both teams eventually had to settle for a draw which means that Spain stay top of Group E and can win the group with victory over Japan on Thursday (1 December), who in-turn can qualify with a draw at minimum if Germany fail to beat Costa Rica by at least two goals.
Germany though could qualify with a single-goal win if Japan lose as long as they score more goals than the Japanese.
Costa Rica meanwhile must better Japan’s result if they’re to qualify for the Round of 16 due to their inferior goal difference.
Kramaric Sends Croatia Top of Group F
Andrej Kramaric’s brace from two assists by Ivan Perisic coupled with strikes from Marko Livaja and Lovro Majer saw Croatia come from behind to thrash Canada 4-1 and go top of Group F, after Alphonso Davies fired the Canadians ahead in the second minute.
Abelhamid Sabiri and Zakaria Aboukhlal meanwhile struck late in the second-half to lift Morocco above Belgium into second with a 2-0 win over Roberto Martinez’s Belgian Red Devils.
Canada consequently have been eliminated but Belgium must now beat Croatia in order to qualify for the Last 16, although a draw could be enough if Morocco suffer a heavy defeat to John Herdman’s Canada but anything other than defeat would see Morocco advance.
Teams
Spain: Unai Simon, Dani Carvajal, Rodri, Aymeric Laporte, Jordi Alba (Balde 82′), Sergio Busquets, Gavi (Williams 66′), Pedri, Marco Asensio (Koke 66′), Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres (Morata 54′)
Substitutes: Robert Sanchez, Cesar Azpilicueta, Eric Garcia, Pau Torres, Marcos Llorente, Alvaro Morata, Koke, Nico Williams, David Raya, Alejandro Balde, Hugo Guillamon, Yeremy Pino, Carlos Soler, Pablo Sarabia, Ansu Fati
Germany: Manuel Neuer, Niklas Sule, Thilo Kerher (Klostermann 70′), Antonio Rudiger, David Raum (Schlotterbeck 87′), Ilkay Gudogan (Sane 70′), Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry (Hofmann 85′), Thomas Muller (Füllkrug 70′), Jamal Musiala
Substitutes: Matthias Ginter, Kai Havertz, Niclas Füllkrug, Mario Gotze, Kevin Trapp, Lukas Klostermann, Julian Brandt, Jonas Hofmann, Leroy Sane, Christian Gunter, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Nico Schlotterbeck, Karim Adeyemi, Armel Bella-Kotchap, Youssoufa Moukoko
Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)
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