Fullkrug salvages draw vs. Spain, but Germany still have problems up top

AL KHOR, Qatar -- Niclas Fullkrug breathed beingness into Germany's World Cup hopes with a precocious equaliser against Spain to prevention the 2014 satellite champions from a 2nd successive decision astatine Qatar 2022.

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Although a nonaccomplishment would not person ended Germany's qualification prospects owed to different results successful Group E, Fullkrug's strike, which cancelled retired Alvaro Morata's opener, means that a triumph against Costa Rica volition astir surely beryllium capable to instrumentality Hansi Flick's squad through.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Post-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Rapid Reaction

1. Neither Muller nor Fullkrug the cardinal for Germany

Thomas Muller has earned his spot successful Germany's hallway of fame with 44 goals successful 120 appearances and a World Cup winners' medal successful 2014, but clip has caught up with the 33-year-old. And Germany's problems are personified by the Bayern Munich forward, with the deficiency of a credible alternate forcing manager Hansi Flick to persist with a subordinate who retired from planetary shot pursuing Euro 2020.

Timo Werner's injury-enforced lack from the World Cup hasn't helped Germany's prospects, but the RB Leipzig player's deficiency of interaction successful the Premier League with Chelsea showed that helium has ne'er been the reply to the Germans' issues. So Flick continues to spell with Muller, contempt the subordinate scoring conscionable erstwhile successful his past 7 planetary matches anterior to the clash with Spain.

Muller struggled to occupation Spain's defence astatine Al Bayt Stadium earlier being substituted successful the 2nd half, but his replacement, Niclas Fullkrug went connected to people the equaliser that Germany's qualification hopes alive.

Yet Fullkrug, astatine 29, is not the solution for Germany either. The Werder Bremen guardant was making conscionable his 3rd planetary quality against Spain and helium present has 2 goals, but helium is not successful the people of erstwhile German strikers. But his extremity means that Germany tin suffice with a triumph against Costa Rica aboriginal this week and Flick whitethorn present take to commencement him up of Muller.

2. Maligned Morata delivers again for Spain

Alvaro Morata has ever divided opinion. The Spain guardant has carved retired a vocation with immoderate of Europe's apical teams -- Real Madrid, Juventus and Chelsea -- but has ne'er rather commanded the respect of the Spanish greats who went earlier him specified arsenic Fernando Torres and David Villa.

Morata's extremity successful the 7-0 triumph against Costa Rica earlier this week moved him up of Fernando Morientes successful Spain's all-time scoring charts and his onslaught against Germany took him to 29 goals, moving him level with Fernando Hierro successful 5th place. Only Torres, Villa, Raul, and David Silva are up of Morata successful the Spain charts, truthful the Atletico Madrid striker is successful bully company.

Morata's haul of 29 goals successful 59 games is impressive, but adjacent manager Luis Enrique chose to commencement him connected the bench, contempt his squad lacking a classical centre-forward. Morata doesn't not rather acceptable that mould, but helium is arsenic adjacent arsenic Spain person to a subordinate who tin pb the line, nexus play and bash that astir important happening of each -- people goals.

And his extremity against the Germans was a large one, with a decorativeness consecutive of the Torres and Villa textbook, with Morata clinically beating Manuel Neuer astatine the adjacent station with a right-foot changeable from Jordi Alba's cross. Yes, Morata tin beryllium frustrating and helium misses much than helium scores, but his grounds speaks for itself and Spain's World Cup hopes are healthier erstwhile helium is successful the team.

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3. Simon solidifies lawsuit arsenic Spain's No. 1

Unai Simon is present the undisputed No. 1 for Spain and the Athletic Club keeper showed conscionable wherefore helium is truthful trusted by Luis Enrique with a commanding show against Germany.

Simon is backed up by Brighton's Robert Sanchez and Brentford's David Raya successful Qatar, with neither Manchester United's David de Gea oregon Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga being selected by Enrique. But contempt the large reputations of De Gea and Kepa, their patchy signifier astatine nine level has opened the doorway for Simon to a worthy successor to the spot that was held for truthful agelong by Iker Casillas

Against Germany, Simon made important saves, collected crosses successful packed punishment areas and was speedy and decisive with his distribution. With each 4 of his main rivals playing successful the Premier League, don't beryllium amazed if Simon ends up determination soon too.

Player ratings

Spain: Simon 7; Carvajal 6, Rodri 6, Laporte 6, Jordi Alba 7; Busquets 6; Pedri 7, Gavi 6; Olmo 8, Asensio 6, Torres 6.
Subs: Morata 7, Koke 6, Williams 6, Balde 6.

Germany: Neuer 7; Kehrer 6, Sule 6, Rudiger 7, Raum 6; Kimmich 6, Goretzka 7; Musiala 6, Gundogan 6, Gnabry 5; Muller 5.
Subs: Fullkrug 7, Kostermn 6, Sane 6, Hofman , Schlotterbeck 6.

Best and worst performers

BEST: Dani Olmo, Spain.
The RB Leipzig guardant was the originative unit for Spain and helium instigated the determination which led to the Jordi Alba transverse from which Morata scored. Olmo's imaginativeness and clever question of the shot was a joyousness to watch.

WORST: Serge Gnabry, Germany.
A adjacent telephone betwixt him and Muller and it didn't spell unnoticed that Germany became much threatening aft the 2 Bayern forwards were substituted.

Highlights and notable moments

After coming connected Muller successful the 2nd half, Fullkrug's extremity successful the 83rd infinitesimal revitalised Germany's hopes successful Qatar.

The Werder Bremen antheral has a knack for late-game drama. He has scored 5 goals aft the 80th minute, which leads each players successful Europe's apical 5 leagues this season.

After the match: What the players and managers said

Quotes to travel ...

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

- Germany person gone winless successful their archetypal 2 matches successful a FIFA World Cup since 1938. Fullkrug's precocious equaliser ensured that Germany person ne'er mislaid their archetypal 2 matches astatine a World Cup.

- Alvaro Morata, with his 2nd extremity of the tournament, becomes the 19th antithetic Spain subordinate with goals astatine aggregate World Cups.

Up next

Spain: Work inactive to bash against Japan connected Thursday successful bid to determination onto the Round of 16.

Germany: The precocious gully keeps their chances of advancing to the adjacent round. Will request to triumph against Costa Rica and anticipation Japan tin travel up Spain.