GERMANY are hanging in there at the World Cup after fighting back to draw 1-1 with Spain.
Super-sub Niclas Fullkrug levelled it up after fellow sub Alvaro Morata had put Spain ahead.
Germany now need to beat Costa Rica in their final game, and still need the result to go their way in Spain vs Japan as Group E concludes in thrilling fashion.
Should Japan seal a narrow win over Spain, Germany will be going home. Spain’s huge goal difference should see them still advance.
- Result: Spain 1-1 Germany
- Spain XI: Unai Simon; Carvajal, Rodrigo, Laporte, Alba; Busquets, Gavi, Pedri; Ferran Torres, Asensio, Dani Olmo
- Germany XI: Neuer; Kehrer, Sule, Rudiger, Raum: Kimmich, Goretzka; Gundogan, Musiala, Gnabry; Muller
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That’s all from Al Khor
So, a day of shock results comes to an end with a 1-1 draw.
Germany restore some dignity and the points are shared with Spain.
It’s all to play for in Group E!
Thanks for reading. Goodnight.
Golden boy
Jamal Musiala was involved in everything Germany did well this evening.
He ran Spain’s defence ragged and set up Fullkrug for their equaliser.
The 19-year-old continues to make a name for himself in Qatar!
Full time stats
Spain typically had the majority of the ball, but it was Germany who had more chances.
Musiala came close, and Sane almost sealed victory late on.
David Kidd in Al Khor
SunSport’s David Kidd was watching from the al Bayt Stadium and here is his report.
ON a night when we’d expected to wave auf wiedersehen to the Germans, they simply put on a display of their age-old resilience.
Hansi Flick’s side had slipped the noose earlier in the day, when Costa Rica surprisingly defeated Japan and spared them the prospect of elimination after just two matches.
And after trailing to a classy Alvaro Morata opener, German sub Niclas Fullkrug thumped a powerful late equaliser to earn a point against the eye-candy Spaniards.
Victory over Costa Rica is now highly likely to see the Mannschaft advance into the last sixteen – and the way they refused to yield against a high-quality Spanish side, you can’t entirely begrudge them.
Herr Flick’s boys played in this first genuine heavyweight clash of the World Cup – Antonio Rudiger having an effort ruled out for offside and Spanish keeper Unai Simon kept busy.
But the thrills and the flair belonged to Spain, who are employing an updated version of tiki-taka under Luis Enrique and making the world smile along with them.
Despite Costa Rica chucking them a lifeline, there was a serious matter of German pride being restored after that shocking late collapse against Japan.
Flick bolstered his midfield by bringing in Leon Goretzka and dropping Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, with West Ham’s Thilo Kehrer added to defence.
After their group-stage exit in Russia four years ago and their last-16 defeat by England at last summer’s Euros, Germany’s formidable aura had well and truly evaporated.
This looked like the glamour tie of the entire knock-out stage when the draw was made, yet that was based on Germany’s grand footballing history rather than a record of two wins from nine games.
From the start, it was high-grade stuff – Germany threatening on the break, Spain joyful with their pass-and-move game, reminiscent of vintage Barcelona or the Spanish side which one three major trophies in a row between 2008 and 2012.
Gavi and Pedri, emerging as the new Xavi and Iniesta, were a proper pair of artful dodgers. Behind them was Sergio Busquets, the anchorman from the original line-up.
After one such passing routine, Dani Olmo – who plays his club football in Germanywith Leipzig – thundered a shot which Manuel Neuer pushed onto the bar at full stretch, just seven minutes in.
Jorbi Alba drilled one into the side-netting but the Germans were also having their moments, Serge Gnabry shooting wide after a dozy pass from Spanish keeper Unai Simon.
From an Olmo break, Ferran Torres blazed a sitter over the bar – but had his embarrassment lessened by an offside flag.
Gavi – built like a sparrow, feet like a phantom – is going to be a genuine world great and, for a little fella, he clearly relishes a scrap too.
Yet for all Spain’s dominance, Germany thought they had the lead five minutes before half-time.
Alba tripped Gnabry, who swung in a deep free-kick. Antonio Rudiger was presented with a free header and planted into the net – only for the robot linesman to exterminate German goal celebrations.
Spain certainly didn’t look comfortable set-pieces and when Busquets was booked for a cynical job on Jamal Musiala, Rudiger was presented with another chance – his angled shot stinging the palms of Simon.
It was a match which didn’t deserve a Mexican wave but it got one anyway – who are these people? Certainly not football lovers.
Germany were pressing with aggression and when Spain were dispossessed close to their own box, Josh Kimmich drilled a shot which Simon dived to push away.
Confidence was growing among Flick’s men, every time Spain’s defensive vulnerability became apparent.
With Spain looking becalmed, Luis Enrique turned to the bench and sent Morata on in place of Torres, switching Olmo to the left flank – and it worked a treat.
Soon Olmo fed Alba, who centred low for Morata to score with a cute flick of the roof at the near post.
Almost instantly, it should have been two. The outstanding Olmo centred for the unmarked Marco Asensio, who spooned his shot when the onion bag was begging for it.
But Germany were unbowed – first, Simon saved with his body from Musiala.
And then two German subs combined for a quality equaliser, Leroy Sane turning his man in an impossibly tight space, allowing Fullkrug to blast into the roof of the net.
David Kidd
FULL TIME – Spain 1-1 Germany
The points are shared and Germany’s World Cup hopes remain alive.
Spain 1-1 Germany
90+5, Sane with the chance to win it!
Goretzka slides in on Williams and sets his side on the attack. Schlotterbeck feeds Sane in behind who knocks it past Simon where the angle was too tight.
Spain 1-1 Germany
90+2, Sule curls a ball over to Gnabry and Carvajal looks to safely cushion it back to his keeper, but instead nods it behind for a corner.
Kimmich’s ball in is deep and misses the head of Rudiger who was lunging for it.
Spain 1-1 Germany
90+1, There will be six added minutes here.
Still time for Germany to find a winner.
Spain 1-1 Germany
89, Schlotterbeck, just off the bench, recovers brilliantly to hook the ball off the feet off Morata who was lining up the shot.
GOAL! – Spain 1-1 Germany
82, Fullkrug smashes Germany level!
Just like at the other end, Germany’s substitute centre-forward finds the net.
Sane feeds Musiala who keeps the move alive in the penalty area. It bundles through and Fulkrugg takes over, firing a vicious strike beyond Simon and into the top corner from the right-hand side.
What a hit, and what a finish we have here!
Credit: Getty Credit: Getty Spain 1-0 Germany
81, Alba takes a knock and is immediately replaced by Balde.
Spain 1-0 Germany
80, Straight into the wall by Kimmich. It was so close that it would be tough to get it up and over.
Ten minutes for Germany to find an equaliser.
Spain 1-0 Germany
79, Sane and Musiala combine before Sane went down in the area.
Plenty of penalty appeals, but it was a perfectly timed tackle.
Fullkrug then runs into Busquets and is awarded the free-kick in a great position.
Sane and Kimmich are behind it.
Spain 1-0 Germany
78, Musiala intercepts and plays a pass inside which both Sane and Fullkrug run a way from, assuming the pass is for the other.
Groans ring out amongst the Germany fans.
Spain 1-0 Germany
75, Alan Shearer berates the linesman on commentary, expressing his irritation with the rules that a linesman cannot raise his flag in case there is an opportunity.
Morata was the guilty party and looks inclined to agree with him.
Spain 1-0 Germany
73, Massive chance for Musiala!
Oh, that was the moment. Sane played a neat reverse pass insde to Musiala who went for power against Simon.
The keeper stood tall as it smashed against his arm and out for a corner.
A touch more composure and Germany are level.
Spain 1-0 Germany
72, Brilliant by Musiala.
The teenager just kept going, bouncing off the challenges before flashing a dangerous ball across goal.
Fullkrug threw himself at it, but it rolled behind for a goal-kick.
Spain 1-0 Germany
71, Morata sets Williams on the counter-attack and the substitute waits for support, chipping it over towards Koke who has the ball taken off him.
Spain 1-0 Germany
69, Pedri tries to feed Morata in behind but Neuer was off his line quickly.
It’s a triple change for Germany.
Fullkrug, Klostermann and Sane are on.
Muller, Kehrer and Gundogan make way.
Spain 1-0 Germany
66, And that will be his last contribution.
Asensio is off for Neco Williams and Koke is on for Gavi.
Spain 1-0 Germany
65, There are gaps everywhere now.
Germany will pile forward and that’s left spaces in behind for Spain to exploit.
Olmo cuts the ball back for Gavi who let it run through his legs for Asensio. With the whole goal to aim at, he skies it from 20 yards.
GOAL! – Spain 1-0 Germany
61, Morata fires Spain in front!
Spain shift the ball form right to left and Olmo plays in Alba who gets his head up, delivering a neat ball across the area.
Morata gets across his man and brilliantly flicks it into the roof of the net with the outside of his boot.
At last a goal!
Credit: EPA Credit: Getty Spain 0-0 Germany
60, Musiala is dragged down by Gavi who beats the turf in frustration.
Kimmich spotted Rudiger’s run, but the free-kick had just too much on it.
A Spanish goal now would really hurt Germany.
Spain 0-0 Germany
59, Raum curls in a teasing delivery but there was no one in white challenging for it. That will drive Hansi Flick crazy.
Kimmich is then shown a yellow for a poorly timed tackle.
Spain 0-0 Germany
57, Asensio looks to dart past Goretzka who can’t take the risk of letting him free, so bundles him out of play.
A rugby player would have been happy with that tackle.
The yellow card is waved in the German’s direction.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
