Dhe joker stabbed. Niclas Füllkrug saved Germany from a second World Cup setback. With Bremen’s late goal in the 83rd minute, the DFB team just barely passed the character test against their feared opponents Spain.
With combined forces, the national football team wrestled their bogeyman after Álvaro Morata’s goal (61st) to make it 1-1 (0-0). But the trembling is far from over for Hansi Flick. After the hard-earned draw in the Bedouin stadium in al-Khour, the first win in Qatar is now essential for a place in the round of 16 against Costa Rica on Thursday. Otherwise the embarrassing second World Cup knockout in the group phase will still be a bitter reality for the four-time champion.
With just one point, Germany is still last in Group E after the worst start in long World Cup history. With the unexpected help of Costa Rica’s win against Japan a few hours before the former world champion’s intense showdown, the DFB-Elf has the fate of the tournament in their own hands again – even if Spain simply couldn’t be beaten in a competitive game for 34 years now.
For a long time, it was clear to the teams what was at stake for them – the Spaniards should have planned for the round of 16 with a second win after the 7-0 offensive whirlwind against Costa Rica thanks to an outstanding goal difference.
However, the 29-year-old Werder Bremen jug continued his incredible story in just his third international match with the second goal in the national jersey.
At the beginning, neither team wanted to take any risks, tactics were trumps, the build-up game consisted of a lot of scanning and waiting on both sides. The Spaniards’ first and for a long time only big chance was thwarted by Neuer with a somewhat unconventional save against Dani Olmo. The German captain deflected the shot from Leipzig to the crossbar with his right hand (7th).
The 36-year-old Neuer played his 18th World Cup game and drew level with the record holders Sepp Maier and Claudio Taffarel from Brazil as a goalkeeper.
The Spaniards kept flashing their playful class with fine ball acceptance. In order to “close” the center and prevent the Iberians from combining, Flick had put Leon Goretzka, who had been substituted on against Japan, next to his Bayern team-mate Joshua Kimmich in defensive midfield.
World Cup match against Spain
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Joker, goals, tie
With his physique, Goretzka showed the qualities hoped for by the national coach, repeatedly disrupting the Spanish game structure. Ilkay Gündogan moved up a position centrally, but was unable to develop compared to his performance with a penalty goal against Japan.
The center remained tight defensively, but Flick’s plan didn’t work offensively at first. Thomas Müller was on the road a lot in the top striker, but had little influence on the game. Youngster Jamal Musiala had no effect on the left attacking side and complained several times.
At least through standards and after winning the ball themselves, the German team occasionally developed danger. With expansive steps, Goretzka bridged the midfield after Gündogan put the ball on him. However, the pass to Gnabry came too late – offside (10th). Bayern right winger’s shot from the edge of the area went wide of Unai Simón’s far post in the middle of the first half (24′).
Shortly before the break, the German team celebrated the supposed lead. However, as the video review revealed, defender Antonio Rüdiger was clearly offside before his powerful header (40′). The Real Madrid defender’s attempt from a tight angle five minutes later was easily thwarted by Simon.
In addition to Rüdiger, Niklas Süle was allowed to play his favorite position in the center again after his failed appearance as right-back against Japan. And there the Dortmunder felt visibly more comfortable, acted present up to the deficit.
In the backward movement, however, David Raum had several problems on the left side of defence. But after Neuer revealed unusual weaknesses with his foot in a bad pass, the Leipziger saved his keeper by disrupting Ferran Torres decisively (26th).
The German team appeared concentrated overall. Before the eyes of DFB President Bernd Neuendorf, who took a seat two places next to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino in the honorary stand, the Flick team allayed their fear of another setback in the second half. Kimmich conquered the ball with a tackle in the opposing penalty area, Gündogan put it back across, but Simón deflected Kimmich’s shot to the corner (56th).
But Spain always remained dangerous – and shocked the German team. Thilo Kehrer, who started for Nico Schlotterbeck, was too far from Jordi Alba at right-back. The low cross from the FC Barcelona professional was used by Morata, who was a step faster than Süle.
The gap was a short impact hit for the German team. Shortly after the Spaniards took the lead, Marco Asensio fired a free-standing shot from 16 meters over Neuer’s goal. Flick brought in Füllkrug and the recovered Leroy Sané for the offensive – this time the changes worked. The Bayern offensive star staged his Bayern teammate Musiala. With an ill-considered shot, the 19-year-old failed at Simon (73rd) instead of crossing to Füllkrug. As against Japan, there was a lack of offensive efficiency.
But the jug ended the goallessness. Sané used Musiala, who forwarded it with great ball handling, which Bremer completed. With the hard-fought point win, anything is possible again.
