If a tent in the desert does not sound like the most glamorous of stages on which to score your first World Cup goal, then consider that Niclas Fullkrug only made the least heralded of international debuts a fortnight ago — as a half-time substitute in a scarcely-acknowledged tournament warm-up against Oman.
That, by then, he had already been assigned Germany’s No9 shirt for a major tournament speaks volumes about Hansi Flick’s centre-forward strife, but here last night, Fullkrug lived up to the jersey with a fine equaliser to cancel out Alvaro Morata’s opener for Spain and strengthen the four-times champions’ hopes of avoiding another humiliating group-stage exit.
A genuine World Cup wildcard is a rare thing these days, particularly among the leading nations, but few with more than a wandering eye on German football knew much about Fullkrug before the 83rd minute last night. His Wikipedia page did not either, claiming the forward “listens to Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger for motivation”, about as safe a bet as suggesting someone might drink water to hydrate.
At 29, Fullkrug was Germany’s oldest outfield debutant in two decades at the time of making his bow, the reward for a season and a half of prolific form for Werder Bremen, the first two-thirds of which came in the second tier.
“We are very happy that he showed us his determination and how to score goals,” said Flick, whose side had looked destined to suffer back-to-back defeats at the start of a World Cup for the first time ever until the mystery man’s late intervention. “He gives lots to the team, not only goals, but is also a very good boy, he has his heart in the right place and we are very happy to have him.”
Earlier in the day, Flick admitted he had heard cheers from across Germany’s training base as his players celebrated Costa Rica’s surprise win over Japan, which took some of the jeopardy out of the tournament’s first truly heavyweight clash.
There are various permutations, but the simplest of them now is that Germany will reach the last 16 by beating the Costa Ricans in their final game, so long as Japan do not spring another shock result against Spain, who need only a point to qualify and can secure top spot with all three.
“There was a strange feeling in the changing room, because we had the opportunity to beat Germany and we let it slip through our hands and that was a shame,” Spain head coach Luis Enrique said after last night’s clash.
“[Against Japan,] we will use our full-strength team and go for the win to secure the top in the group standings.”
Both sides began the night with striker-less systems; Spain as billed, but Flick in a slightly surprising move, as Leon Goretzka’s return in favour of Kai Havertz seemed an attempt to match La Roja’s mesmeric midfield three.
For much of the first half, it did not work, as the fledgling talents of Gavi and Pedri joined the dots drawn by Sergio Busquets from deep and Germany struggled to lay boot on ball. But for Manuel Neuer’s brilliant save to tip Dani Olmo’s strike onto the bar, they would have been behind.
Gradually, though, Germany’s pressing forwards learned the rules of engagement and Spain, perhaps too cocksure in possession at the back, invited them on. Shorn of much aerial presence, they played a dangerous game at set-pieces, too, allowing Antonio Rudiger a free run for a would-be opener, but setting the offside trap just right.
Morata had scored off the bench in the opening win over Costa Rica, the last of seven in a rout, but this was a different assignment, the kind he has so often been accused of messing up. Darting across the near-post to meet Jordi Alba’s low cross, though, Morata finished brilliantly off the outside of his right foot.
It was the kind of lethal touch that Germany still seemed to lack, as the otherwise outstanding Jamal Musiala blasted against Unai Simon when slipped in.
But when the same player rolled his marker again in the box soon after, he was not given time to shoot, Fullkrug, quite fittingly, arriving from nowhere to nick it off his toes and blast home.
