Niclas Füllkrug came off the bench to score the equaliser as Germany held Spain to a draw in World Cup Group E.
Spain 1-1 GermanyGoals: 1-0 Morata 62′ (assist: Alba), 1-1 Füllkrug 83′ (assist: Musiala)
RB Leipzig’s Dani Olmo set the tone for a high-quality first half with a blistering strike that Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer did well to tip onto the crossbar. Bayern teammate Serge Gnabry returned fire as Germany grew into the contest, but his left-footed effort dropped the wrong side of the far post. Olmo then put the ball on a plate for Ferran Torres, who blazed over from an offside position. The VAR intervened at the other end to rule out Antonio Rüdiger’s header from a Joshua Kimmich free-kick. The former Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart defender stung the palms of Unai Simon with a fierce near-post volley on the stroke of half-time.
Simon almost gifted Germany the opening goal in the second half, but redeemed himself with a smart save to beat away Kimmich’s side-footed strike from inside the area. Spain took the lead through substitute Alvaro Morata’s first-time finish, with Olmo involved in the build-up, but Germany were not to be denied. Not long after Simon had kept out Jamal Musiala, Werder Bremen’s Füllkrug took the ball off the Bayern teenager and thundered an emphatic leveller into the back of the net. Leroy Sane rounded Simon in added time, but could not find Füllkrug with his cut-back. Although beaten by a Bundesliga-heavy Japan in their opening fixture, Germany can still reach the last 16 with victory over Costa Rica in their final group encounter on 1 December.
Match stats
- Germany will defintely be through if they beat Costa Rica and Japan (also on three points) lose to Spain. Goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head records come into play, if nations end up level on points.
- Füllkrug, who is the top-scoring German national in this season’s Bundesliga, with 10 goals in 14 appearances, has netted twice in three senior internationals.
- Musiala, 19, has a goal and three assists in 19 Germany appearances.
- Neuer made his 18th appearance at a World Cup, taking him level with Brazil’s Cláudio Taffarel and Germany’s Sepp Maier for the most appearances at the finals by a goalkeeper.
- This was the first 2022 World Cup meeting between two former world champions.
- Olmo has 12 goals and 16 assists to show for his 73 Bundesliga outings to date.
Teams
Spain: Simon – Carvajal, Rodrigo, Laporte, Jordi Alba (Balde 82′) – Busquets (c), Gavi (Koke 65′), Pedri – Ferran Torres (Morata 54′), Asensio (Williams 65′), OlmoUnused subs: Raya, Sanchez, Azpilicueta, Garcia, Hugo Guillamon, Pau, Carlos Soler, M. Llorente, Ansu Fati, Sarabia, YeremyOut: –Coach: Luis Enrique
Germany: Neuer (c) – Kehrer (Klostermann 69′), Süle, Rüdiger, Raum (Schlotterbeck 87′) – Kimmich, Goretzka – Gnabry (Hofmann 85′), Gündogan (Sane 69′), Musiala – Müller (Füllkrug 69′)Unused subs: ter Stegen, Trapp, Bella Kotchap, Ginter, Günter, Brandt, M. Götze, Havertz, Adeyemi, MoukokoOut: –Coach: Hansi Flick
As it happened
