Spain, Germany happy to survive heavyweight bout and fight another day

DOHA, Qatar -- This felt, for stretches, similar a Champions League radical signifier crippled betwixt imaginable tourney winners. You prod, you push, but, ultimately, you err connected the broadside of caution due to the fact that you cognize that you'll unrecorded to combat different day. And the harm of a resounding decision -- adjacent if lone psychological, adjacent if lone to reply the barrage of disapproval and questioning -- acold outweighs the benefits of 3 points which, frankly, cipher volition remember.

It could person been different, of course, if Japan had not someway soiled the furniture against Costa Rica earlier successful the day, contriving to suffer 1-0 to an hostile who had shipped 7 goals against Spain and who, connected paper, looked distinctly overmatched. Had Japan won, the arithmetic for Germany would person been brutally simple: bushed Spain oregon spell location aft conscionable 2 games, on with Canada and Qatar (well, successful the latter's case, staying home.)

- World Cup 2022: News and features | Schedule | Squads

Instead, Japan's effect meant that Germany's destiny volition beryllium decided, travel what may, connected the last matchday. The 1-1 gully against Spain, however, means Germany bash not power their ain destiny. They request to bushed Costa Rica and anticipation that Spain bushed Japan. Both likely, possibly adjacent precise likely, but past past World Cups person taught america not to instrumentality thing for granted. And, frankly, is Japan beating Spain oregon Germany failing to bushed Costa Rica that overmuch little apt than, say, a World Cup being awarded to a federation of 3 cardinal successful the mediate of winter?

Besides, Germany cognize each astir not taking things for granted. Their group-stage exit astatine the hands of South Korea 4 years agone inactive smarts. And, astatine least, connected that occasion, they held the aboriginal successful their ain hands. Here successful Qatar they bash not.

Still, determination was a vibe of conservatism and deficiency of urgency from some teams astatine the Al-Bayt Stadium Sunday night.

Manager Hansi Flick's changes showed helium was playing the agelong game. He moved Niklas Sule backmost into the bosom of defence (nice idea, being the world's biggest full-back, but not against Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo) and inserted Thilo Kehrer astatine right-back (you've got lemons, marque lemonade). Leon Goretzka joined Joshua Kimmich and Ilkay Gundogan successful midfield, successful an effort to antagonistic Luis Enrique's patented "death by possession" approach.

Most tellingly, helium shifted Thomas Muller to center-forward. It's a relation the Bayern Munich antheral hasn't played regularly successful much than a decade, but, needs must. At 33, he's not what helium was successful presumption of athleticism, and helium was ne'er the astir technically refined player, but intelligence, charisma and mastery of spatial relations inactive marque him an asset.

For overmuch of the game, Flick was proven right. Germany did concede a fewer chances, but the property worked, if not to make the precocious turnovers truthful prized by Flick, past astatine slightest to incorporate Spain's build-up to areas wherever it was little threatening.

For his part, it felt arsenic if Spain manager Luis Enrique was besides looking past Germany. His lone alteration -- Dani Carvajal for Cesar Azpilicueta -- was much astir load absorption for his aging right-backs than immoderate tactical reason.

Spain played their crippled and Germany countered with a basic, but effectual property that constricted Spain's chances to a azygous Dani Olmo shot, brilliantly saved by Manuel Neuer. By half-time, it wasn't overmuch to constitute location about, but a cleanable expanse aft the Japan illness was already something.

Luis Enrique tin beryllium unpredictable, but the instauration of a existent center-forward similar Alvaro Morata for Torres 10 minutes into the 2nd fractional was consecutive retired of the basal coaching manual. But sometimes the simplest moves are the astir effective. Jordi Alba recovered abstraction down the near and sent successful a shot which Morata, aft stealing up of Sule, fto tally crossed his assemblage and stabbed location with the extracurricular of his close foot. Shortly thereafter, Marco Asensio missed the accidental to marque it 2-0 and Flick decided it was clip to gamble.

On came Leroy Sane (still possibly not fully-fit, but acceptable capable to marque an appearance) and battering-ram cardinal striker Niclas Fullkrug. Jamal Musiala moved inside, wherever helium could yet power play, with 2 speedy wingers similar Sane and Serge Gnabry either broadside of him and Fullkrug up of him.

The logical consequence? Spain pinned back. And, astatine this point, you were either going to get a Spanish extremity connected the antagonistic oregon a German equalizer. We got the latter, 7 minutes from time, with Sane combining with Musiala to acceptable up a vicious Fullkrug blast into the apical of Unai Simon's net.

Ten minutes later, aft full-time and wounded time, determination was Luis Enrique, his limb astir Flick's neck, chattering distant and laughing. It felt cozy, arsenic if these 2 men cognize they whitethorn good conscionable again.

Unless, of course, Costa Rica and Japan person thing to enactment astir it.