Alkhor: Instead of poetry and football, the Albayt Stadium witnessed a clash of strategies. While Spain, playing promising football, filled the field with the agility of tiki-taka, experience and defensiveness came to Germany’s rescue. As in a four-way match of equal powers, when all the hurdles were cleared, both teams scored one goal each and remained level.
Substitutes scored for both teams. Alvaro Morata scored for Spain in the 62nd minute and Niklas Fulkrug scored for Germany in the 83rd minute. Spain leads Group E with 4 points. Japan and Costa Rica are next with 3 points each. Germany is in last place with only one point.
It was the substitutes who shook the net
After the break, coach Luis Enrique’s decision to withdraw striker Ferran Torres and bring on Alvaro Morata paved the way for Spain’s goal. This was after a move from the middle of the field by captain Sergio Busquets.
Morata’s right-footed shot, which advanced after receiving Jordi Alba’s assist from the left wing, went past German goalie Manuel Neuer and into the net (1-0). After conceding the goal, the match became exciting as Germany started to fight back with all their might.
Youngster Jamal Musiyala was the engine behind their continued creation of chances. Musiyala also provided the assist for Germany’s substitute Niklas Fulkrug’s goal in the 83rd minute. After receiving the ball in the middle of the box, Fulkrug’s right-footed shot scored a goal for the German side (1-1).
Spain in reserve
In the 60th minute, Spain narrowly escaped from goalkeeper Unai Simon’s mistake. German midfielder Joshua Kimmich’s shot, which was missed by the goalie, was deflected by Simone himself. In the first half, Serge Gnabry also wasted the chance he got after a similar mistake by Simeone. Unhurried and starting with tricks of tiki taka, Spain dominated possession from the start.
They patrolled the German goal with short passes and should have taken the lead in the seventh minute. Striker Dani Olmo’s bullet shot from outside the box deflected off goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and hit the post. With Spanish advances coming from all directions, the German defense had a tough job to do.
In the 40th minute, following a free kick, Antonio Rudiger’s header rattled the Spanish net but was ruled offside by VAR. Spanish goalkeeper Simeone saved Rudiger’s threat from Joshua Kimmich’s free-kick in the dying seconds of the first half.
English Summary: germany vs spain match fifa world cup 2022