Hansi Flick’s side looked stagnant
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2025 9:55 am
Niclas Füllkrug’s late strike was enough to salvage a point for Germany against Spain as qualification from Group E goes down to the wire.
Substitute Álvaro Morata had given Spain the lead just after the hour mark, but Germany finally drew level seven minutes from time after Jamal Musiala’s touch dropped to Füllkrug, who fired an emphatic finish into the top corner.
After that historic defeat to Japan in the opening game – one of the all-time great World Cup upsets – most expected Germany to come out and try to make a statement against a Spain side that looked like the team of the tournament so far.
In truth, however, and bereft of ideas for much of match and will now need a favor from Spain in order to reach the round of 16.
Germany needs to beat Costa Rica and hope Spain defeats telegram database Japan or, if Japan earns a draw, ensure it has a superior goal difference.
Both sides made bright starts in this blockbuster clash, with the goalkeepers being tested early on. Inside five minutes, Manuel Neuer tipped Dani Olmo’s thunderous strike onto the crossbar, before Unai Simón rushed out to smother Serge Gnabry’s effort at the end of a Germany counterattack.
The onus was undoubtedly on Germany to try and win this match, though Japan’s surprise 1-0 defeat to Costa Rica earlier on Sunday meant its position wasn’t as precarious as it had been at the start of the day.
Defeat would no longer mean an early exit from the World Cup for Flick’s side, but a win was necessary to ensure Germany went into its final group game against Costa Rica with its fate in its own hands.
Germany had only beaten Spain once in its previous seven meetings and that was a record it sorely needed to improve at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Substitute Álvaro Morata had given Spain the lead just after the hour mark, but Germany finally drew level seven minutes from time after Jamal Musiala’s touch dropped to Füllkrug, who fired an emphatic finish into the top corner.
After that historic defeat to Japan in the opening game – one of the all-time great World Cup upsets – most expected Germany to come out and try to make a statement against a Spain side that looked like the team of the tournament so far.
In truth, however, and bereft of ideas for much of match and will now need a favor from Spain in order to reach the round of 16.
Germany needs to beat Costa Rica and hope Spain defeats telegram database Japan or, if Japan earns a draw, ensure it has a superior goal difference.
Both sides made bright starts in this blockbuster clash, with the goalkeepers being tested early on. Inside five minutes, Manuel Neuer tipped Dani Olmo’s thunderous strike onto the crossbar, before Unai Simón rushed out to smother Serge Gnabry’s effort at the end of a Germany counterattack.
The onus was undoubtedly on Germany to try and win this match, though Japan’s surprise 1-0 defeat to Costa Rica earlier on Sunday meant its position wasn’t as precarious as it had been at the start of the day.
Defeat would no longer mean an early exit from the World Cup for Flick’s side, but a win was necessary to ensure Germany went into its final group game against Costa Rica with its fate in its own hands.
Germany had only beaten Spain once in its previous seven meetings and that was a record it sorely needed to improve at the Al Bayt Stadium.