… so after a dramatic and entertaining evening in Al Khor, all four teams in Group E can still qualify. Thursday evening is going to be great fun. Sid Lowe was there to see Niclas Füllkrug, a 29-year-old who won his first cap 11 days ago – become the latest World Cup cult hero. His report is here. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!
Ilkay Gundogan talks to the Beeb. “We needed that! Probably it was meant to be that way. We could have scored earlier. We scored but unfortunately it was disallowed. We had a couple of really good chances as well. Maybe if you look just at the chances, we were a little bit better, but I think at the end, the result is fair against a very tough Spanish side. Now it’s all about the last game of the group stage. It’s crazy. A competition like the World Cup, you already know before it that it’s going to be dramatic, that some games are going to be full of different momentums, ups and downs. I was on the bench talking to Thomas Muller and we felt there was still a goal for us in the game. Then Niclas [Fullkrug] scored, the finish was unbelievable. A typical striker, a typical number nine, and he really stepped up when we needed him. We are very happy about that!”
Alvaro Morata speaks to the BBC. “It was a tough game because Germany have an amazing team. It was a really good game. Two teams that could be in a semi-final or final of the World Cup. The most important thing is to win, but they scored an amazing goal and it was unlucky we didn’t have the victory. We will keep training with good, positive vibes. Japan is a tough team, they run a lot and are good tactically. It’s another hard game. We are in the World Cup and everyone can see that the games are crazy!”
Germany survive the day, then! Group E now looks like this:
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| 2 | Japan | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Costa Rica | 2 | -6 | 3 |
| 4 | Germany | 2 | -1 | 1 |
So what does this mean? Spain need just a point against Japan to qualify for the knockouts. A win will guarantee them top spot. Germany stay bottom for now, but they can jump to second and qualify for the next phase if they beat Costa Rica and Japan lose to Spain. However, it gets a little bit more tricky for Germany if Spain and Japan draw. Then they’d need to beat Costa Rica by at least two goals, or by a single-goal margin providing they score more goals than Japan do against Spain.
FULL TIME: Spain 1-1 Germany
Nope. Kimmich’s corner is snaffled by Simon, and the spoils are shared! The whistle goes, and everyone embraces. That was fun.
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90 min +5: Williams tries to beat Goretzka in a footrace down the right. Goretzka sticks out a telescopic leg to hook clear. Germany counter through Musiala, who dribbles at pace into the box down the left. He tries to round Simon, then cut back for Fullkrug, but the ball’s bundled out for a corner. The last kick of the game coming up. They couldn’t, could they?
90 min +4: Rudiger peels off the back of everyone and he’s in space at the far post, but Kimmich’s corner is overhit. No good.
90 min +3: Carvajal, under no pressure whatsoever, heads carelessly behind for a corner to Germany, who load the box. Huge set piece coming up! Kimmich to take.
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90 min +2: Olmo dribbles down the left but runs into the brick wall that is Sule. Germany look to counter but the referee pointlessly blows to award them a free kick. They’d have much rather played on.
90 min +1: Spain pass it around patiently. They’ll be after a winner, though: another three points will all but qualify them for the next round.
90 min: There will be six added minutes. Music to Germany’s ears.
89 min: Williams dinks a pass down the inside-right channel to release Morata. He’s clear! Morata is about to shoot when Schlotterbeck slides in on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. No margin for error, an excellent tackle, perfectly timed. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.
87 min: “That was no Half Krug... That was a Fullkrug.” Jeffrey Lilly there, because somebody had to. It was a hell of a finish all right.
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86 min: Rudiger shepherds the ball out for a goal kick, and accidentally whacks Koke in the face. No foul. Germany launch long. Musiala and Hofmann chase after the ball down the middle. Balde ushers the ball back to his keeper under intense pressure. Germany are after the winner that would really change everything.
84 min: Before the match restarts, Germany switch out Gnabry for Hofmann.
GOAL! Spain 1-1 Germany (Fullkrug 83)
Now it’s a German sub’s turn to become the hero! Musiala latches onto Sane’s pass down the inside right. He spins and prepares to shoot, but Fullkrug is there already, takes control, and absolutely roofs a shot into the net from a tight-ish angle on the right. Germany go wild!
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82 min: Alba makes way for Balde.
81 min: The free kick leads to a corner which leads to nothing. Germany are fighting hard for a goal that would change everything, but Musiala’s one-on-one with Simon aside, they’ve not made the Spain keeper work.
80 min: Sane dinks into the box from the right. The ball slaps Busquets’ hand, but there’s to be no penalty. Too close. The ball breaks to Fullkrug, who runs slap bang into Carvajal, just to the left of the D. Free kick in a very dangerous position.
78 min: A lovely bit of skill by Gnabry, as he stops a ball rolling out of play for a throw by trapping it between his feet as he falls over backwards, then rights himself and springs off down the left wing. As he puts a cross in, the referee awards a throw. Incorrectly. Germany are not happy.
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76 min: Spain take a little of the sting out of the game with some sterile midfield possession. Smart idea, Germany having got up a wee head of steam in the last few minutes.
74 min: Nothing comes of the corner, the willing Fullkrug sending a header well over the bar.
73 min: Huge chance for Germany! Sane cuts in from the right and plays a cute ball down the channel for Musiala, who is suddenly free in the box! He’s got Fullkrug in the middle, but is entitled to take a shot, and that’s what he does. He batters the ball towards the left-hand side of goal, but Simon sticks up a strong arm to block out. What a save!
72 min: Musiala skins Alba down the right and rolls a gorgeous low cross towards Fullkrug at the near post, six yards out. Fullkrug stumbles as he tries to reach the ball, and ends up clanking it wide right off his shin.
71 min: Sane takes his first couple of runs at the Spanish back line. He looks fresh and up for it, though how fit he is remains to be seen. He wasn’t considered fit enough to start tonight; just a place on the bench. But here we are.
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70 min: Germany make a triple change. Gundogan, Muller and Kehrer make way for Sane, Klostermann and Fullkrug.
69 min: Now Pedri has a go at releasing Morata down the middle. His pass is a bit too strong, allowing Neuer to race out of his box and blooter clear.
67 min: Koke barrels into space down the middle and very nearly releases Morata with a pass forward. Morata can’t control and the ball flies through to Neuer.
66 min: Gavi tears down the left and crosses low for Asensio, who blazes over wildly from the edge of the box. That’s the pair’s final contribution of the evening. They both depart, to be replaced by Koke and Williams.
64 min: Germany will have to come out now. They’re not going home if they lose tonight, but their fate won’t be in their own hands.
GOAL! Spain 1-0 Germany (Morata 62)
For the second game in a row, Morata comes off the bench to score! And it’s a thing of simple beauty. Spain shuttle the ball from right to left. Olmo rolls a pass down the left for Alba, who curls in low. Morata gets in ahead of Sule at the near post, and flicks a shot into the top(ish) left from six yards. Lovely goal!
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61 min: Musiala twists down the left and buys a free kick from Gavi. Kimmich tries to find Rudiger at the far stick, but the ball clanks out for a goal kick. Very poor.
60 min: Now Kimmich goes into the book for a late lunge on Olmo, about to break down the left. That’s a poor challenge, studs on top of boot. It didn’t look intentional, but you’ve seen players get into serious trouble for less.
58 min: Olmo buys a ticket to the raffle from 30 yards. His low drive bobbles harmlessly into the arms of Neuer.
57 min: Nothing comes of the corner, and Spain counter. Asensio threatens to tear into space down the right, and is wrestled to the floor by Goretzka for his trouble. Into the book the German midfielder goes.
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56 min: Simon’s awful pass out from the back is intercepted by Kimmich on the slide. The ball breaks to Gundogan. He rolls back to Kimmich, who shoots towards the top left. Simon makes up for his error with a fine parry, turning the shot out for a corner.
55 min: Spain blink first, and make the first change. Morata comes on for Torres.
53 min: Olmo drives down the inside-left channel, looking dangerous. But as he enters the box, he’s shepherded out of play well by Kehrer. Goal kick. “I know it’s been described as a monochrome Ajax (as though that would be a bad thing), but do Germany have the best shirt at this World Cup?” asks David Wall. “Perhaps not as classy as the 1990 strip but little is.” Germany never have a bad kit, do they? See below. Always stylish.
51 min: Busquets barges into the back of Gundogan, and that’s a pointless free kick to give away out on the left. Raum hoicks it into the Spain box. He does so poorly. Kehrer can’t get anywhere near it at the far post, and turns out most of the German side were offside anyway, Spain having pushed up with perfect timing.
49 min: Olmo threatens to get on the end of a long pass down the left. Rudiger races across and intercepts. No high-kicking mid-sprint showboating this time.
47 min: Asensio tears down the left. He curls in low for Torres, but Neuer gets in ahead and down to smother. Germany go up the other end, Muller chasing a long punt down the middle and nearly working an opportunity to shoot from the edge of the D. But the flag goes up for offside. That was tight, and it’d have been interesting had Muller banged one in.
Germany get the second half underway. Neither team has made a change.
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Half-time postbag o’ 66% positivity. “Jamal Musiala is something special, isn’t he? Gavi, Pedri, Moukoko, (even Ansu Fati): this match is just filled with bright talents for the future. I think Spain and Germany are both one cycle away from being relevant as World Cup / Euro contenders. 2024 and 2026, they’ll be stellar, I’m sure of it” – Alexandra Ashton
“Had expected far worse from the Germans. They look like a decent side, actually” – Ingo Herzke
“Something is missing here. Or have I just reached a temporary period of football fatigue? I mean, four matches a day for a week, and I’m just a little tired” – Joe Pearson
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Half-time entertainment.
HALF TIME: Spain 0-0 Germany
Nothing comes of Spain’s fifth corner of the evening, and the whistle goes for half time. The players traipse off, and Germany will be the happier side on balance, given their predicament.
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45 min +2: The second of two added minutes, and a game of head tennis breaks out in the Germany box. Torres has a chance to shoot from a tight angle on the right, but his effort is blocked out for a corner by Goretzka.
45 min: The resulting free kick finds Rudiger on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. He pelts a cross-cum-shot that Simon parries like the proverbial hot potato. The ball pings into the middle of a crowded box. Laporte keeps his head and cushions a header back to the keeper, who claims and breathes again.
44 min: Neuer rakes a long pass upfield for Musiala, who spins Rodri before being clipped from behind by Busquets. The Spanish midfielder goes into the book. That was wonderful hold-up play from Musiala, who had nobody up with him, and created something out of nothing.
42 min: Alba wins a corner for Spain down the left. They work it short. Asensio crosses but Rudiger back-flicks a header away from danger.
41 min: Rudiger was in acres of space there – not sure what the Spanish defence were up to – but got impatient and went too early. No need for it, really, and it’s cost him a goal.
39 min: Gundogan flicks a clever header into space in the midfield, starting a counter attack that ends when Gnabry is brought down in full flight on the right wing. Kimmich takes the free kick. He swings it into the mixer, straight onto Rudiger’s head, six yards out. Rudiger stoops and steers a header brilliantly into the bottom right! But there’s very little drama, because VAR immediately rules the goal out for offside.
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37 min: The first booking of the evening. Kehrer comes sliding in on Torres, and that’s a no-brainer for the referee.
36 min: The corner’s hit long, finding Torres 12 yards out, level with the far post. He takes a touch, then has a shot. Musiala sticks out a telescopic leg to block out for another corner. Nothing comes of the second one. That was a fine block by Musiala. Neuer would have had work to do otherwise.
35 min: Olmo goes off down the left again. This time he’s timed his run perfectly, and wins a corner off Sule.
33 min: Olmo is sent scampering down the left wing. He races towards the byline and cuts back for Torres, teeing his team-mate up perfectly on the penalty spot. Torres leans back and blazes wildly over. He’s very happy to see the flag pop up for an offside on Olmo.
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32 min: Spain currently have ten players in their final third, as opposed to Germany’s five. No chances taken.
30 min: Sule crosses from the right, looking for Muller. Rodri eyebrows away from danger, but Germany recycle possession … then waste it in spectacular style, Rudiger attempting a strike of great ambition from the best part of 35 yards. The ball flies 35 yards over the bar.
28 min: Neuer takes a while to sort himself out with the ball at his feet, and is very nearly closed down by Asensio. Another split second and that would have been a disaster for the ages. Neuer hasn’t enjoyed a great World Cup so far, the earlier save from Olmo very much an outlier. Though what an outlier!
26 min: Neuer’s loose clearance is snaffled by Gavi, who whistles the ball straight back to Torres on the edge of the Germany box. For a second, it looks as though Germany are in a world of trouble, but Torres takes a poor touch and the ball balloons into the air, allowing Neuer to claim and make up for his error.
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25 min: Spain ship possession as Germany press high and hard. Muller and Musiala combine crisply down the middle, and suddenly Gundogan has the ball at his feet just inside the box. He can’t get a meaningful shot away, but Simon’s hacked clearance goes straight to Gnabry, to the right of the D. Gnabry drops a shoulder and looks to curl into the bottom left, but it’s always heading wide.
24 min: Muller probes in a tight spot down the left and tries to flick his way past Rodri. A little nudge in the back by the defender, and Muller passes the ball out for a goal kick instead.
22 min: Alba cuts in from the left and has a dig. His low drive doesn’t fly too far wide of the left-hand post, but Neuer had it covered all the way, withdrawing his hand as the ball billowed the side netting.
21 min: Pedri dribbles down the middle and should buy a ticket on the edge of the D. But he hesitates instead of shooting, and is soon swarmed. Half a chance spurned, but a fine run nonetheless.
20 min: The game settles into a more sedate pace. The last two minutes have been very much for the tactical purists.
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18 min: Laporte, a picture of tranquility, loops a header back to Simon that just reaches the keeper with Musiala challenging. Very neat and tidy.
17 min: Sule pings a fine diagonal pass towards his opposite number Raum on the left flank. Had Raum not taken his eye off the ball, letting it fly out for a throw, he’d have been in acres with Musiala free in the middle. But no.
15 min: Spain have enjoyed 64 percent of possession so far. Much as expected. Germany with 21. The bit marked In Contest probably means something too.
13 min: Olmo goes on a dribble down the left and runs smack into Kehrer, who isn’t giving an inch. Olmo wants a free kick just outside the box, but he’s quite rightly not getting one.
11 min: It’s been all Spain, but now Germany suddenly spring forward in attack, a cute Gundogan flick in the centre circle sending Goretzka romping into space down the middle. He slips in Gnabry to his right. Gnabry enters the box and tries to dink over Simon, but the shot is blocked and the flag goes up for offside anyway. Somewhere in the multiverse, it’s 1-1 already. The match we’ve got in this universe isn’t half bad either.
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9 min: Neuer did just enough to keep that one out, pushing the ball onto the underside of the bar and away. That was sensational football all round, not least because Olmo’s shot went through a defender’s legs and the keeper only saw it late.
7 min: Asensio busies himself on the edge of the German D and lays off to Olmo on his left. Olmo absolutely creams a rising diagonal shot towards the top right. It’s flying in, but Neuer gets a fingertip to it and the ball crashes off the crossbar instead. What a shot! What a save! What a goal that would have been!
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5 min: Torres and Asensio nearly combine to carve out a shooting chance on the edge of the German box. The former rolls a pass in from the right; the latter can’t control. It would have been a good opportunity otherwise.
4 min: Other than that, it’s a pretty shapeless, hectic start. “The German TV pundits fancy their nation’s chances, pointing out that five of their six offensive players are from Bayern and that Spain have a high Barca contingent,” reports Francis Lee. “The record between the two sides in recent years: six wins to nil for Bayern. Frankly I think Germany will get tonked.”
2 min: Musiala faffs around on the edge of his own box and has the ball taken off him by Asensio. Luckily for Germany’s hottest new talent, the whistle goes for handball. A generous decision.
Spain get the ball rolling. A huge 90 minutes (plus) coming up.
The teams are out. Spain in red, Germany white and black. A look of raw emotion in Luis Enrique’s eyes as he listens to the Spanish anthem. Earlier today on Instagram he posted a message to his late daughter Xana, who passed in 2019. “Today is a special day. Not only because we play Germany, but also because my daughter Xana would be turning 13 years old. My love, wherever you are, we love you.” So difficult to read. Everything in perspective.
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Pre-match postbag. “It is 2.30 in the morning here and my whole damn sleep schedule has been interrupted. I will be cheering for Germany because I am from Costa Rica and I absolutely hate Spain’s style of football. Humph” – Alexandra Fullerton.
“German television just showed a clip detailing the strengths of the German teams of old and contrasted how the current version is lacking all of them. It finished with the great quote about football, adapted to the current form of the Nationalmannschaft: A game lasts 90 minutes and in the end... the other team wins” – Oliver Lind.
A signal lack of football fever on display here. Though to be fair, it is Sunday evening, and Sunday evenings have been a complete back-to-school downer since time immemorial. Especially on BBC1. [Trigger warning: pensioners careering down country lane in bath]
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Spain make one change to their starting XI following the 7-0 rout of Costa Rica. Dani Carvajal replaces Cesar Azpilicueta in defence.
Germany respond to the earth’s-orbit-compromising loss to Japan by making two changes to their starting line-up. Thilo Kehrer replaces Nico Schlotterbeck, while forward Kai Havertz makes way for an extra midfielder in Leon Goretzka.
The teams
Spain: Simon, Carvajal, Rodri, Laporte, Jordi Alba, Gavi, Busquets, Gonzalez, Ferran Torres, Asensio, Olmo.
Subs: Sanchez, Azpilicueta, Garcia, Pau Torres, Llorente, Morata, Koke, Williams, Raya, Balde, Guillamon, Pino, Carlos Soler, Sarabia, Fati.
Germany: Neuer, Sule, Kehrer, Rudiger, Raum, Gundogan, Kimmich, Goretzka, Gnabry, Muller, Musiala.
Subs: Ginter, Havertz, Fullkrug, Gotze, Trapp, Klostermann, Brandt, Hofmann, Sane, Gunter, ter Stegen, Schlotterbeck, Adeyemi, Kotchap, Moukoko.
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Preamble
Good evening, and welcome to our coverage of the first heavyweight battle of the 2022 World Cup. Early this morning, we all assumed it would be infused with extreme jeopardy for Germany: after their shock 2-1 loss to Japan last week, defeat at the hands of Spain – who beat them 6-0 the last time they met, and will be hoping to seal qualification tonight – would see them packing. The 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014 winners out at the group stage again.
But then Costa Rica stunned Japan this lunchtime. Now Group E looks like this …
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 1 | 7 | 3 |
| 2 | Japan | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Costa Rica | 2 | -6 | 3 |
| 4 | Germany | 1 | -1 | 0 |
… so Germany can afford to lose again tonight and, providing they haven’t let the goal difference spiral out of control, still have a realistic chance of making it through to the last 16. Beat Costa Rica handsomely while Spain see off Japan, and that’d be the job done.
Of course, nothing’s ever quite as simple as that. In that scenario, even if they see off the Costa Ricans easily enough, Japan will be fighting for their lives against a Spain B side, Luis Enrique’s main men taking a well-earned rest having as good as won the group, and a draw would be enough to knock Germany out.
But you could tire yourself out working through all the possible outcomes. Bottom line is, Germany need a win to realistically keep it in their own hands. (A draw would keep it in their hands mathematically, but they’d most likely need a cricket score against Costa Rica.) Best just to concentrate on matters in hand. Kick off is at 7pm GMT, 10pm at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. انه يحدث! It’s on!
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