FT – Spain 1-1 Germany
Good evening, and welcome along to The42’s live coverage of tonight’s World Cup Group E meeting of Spain and Germany.
It’s a real heavyweight clash, a crucial showdown between two big names.
Germany are looking to get up and running after their shock opening defeat to Japan, handed a lifeline by Costa Rica earlier today. And Spain will hope to build on their emphatic 7-0 win over the Central Americans.
Kick-off at the Al Bayt Stadium is 7pm, and it’s live on all the usual stations — we’ll be sure to keep you up-to-date here, though.
First, team news…
Spain
🚨 OFICIAL | ¡¡ASÍ SALIMOS ANTE ALEMANIA!!
— Selección Española de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) November 27, 2022
👥 Este es el once inicial planteado por @LUISENRIQUE21 para el partidazo de esta noche ante @DFB_Team.
🥰 Tenemos un equipazo, ¿eh? ¡¡Vamos a por el triunfo, chicos!! #VamosEspaña | #Catar2022 pic.twitter.com/LnCvdEXlwR
Germany
🇪🇸🇩🇪 Unsere Start-1️⃣1️⃣!#ESPGER #GER #WM2022 pic.twitter.com/rKEcqgG4oc
— DFB-Team (@DFB_Team) November 27, 2022
So that’s one change for in-form Spain, who will all but secure their progression with a win tonight: Dan Carvajal replaces Cesar Azpilicueta in defence.
There’s a few German switches for this crucial game. It’s not exactly the do-or-die clash we anticipated before Costa Rica’s win over Japan this morning, but they really need a result. Full-back Thilo Kehrer comes in for Nico Schlotterbeck, and Leon Goretzka starts in place of Kai Havertz.
The RTÉ panel of Didi Hamann, Richie Sadlier and Stephanie Roche have been speaking about issues in the Germany camp through the build-up.
🇪🇸 v 🇩🇪
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 27, 2022
Flick's clicks?
Is the German squad divided along club lines? @DietmarHamann believes so.
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Now, they’re waxing lyrical about Pedri and Gavi. All eyes on the Spanish pair tonight.
Predictions? Spain get the unanimous vote on RTÉ. What do you reckon?
Poll Results:
The anthems are underway, and our man Gavin Cooney is at the stadium.
Loads of empty seats as teams walk out for Germany v Spain, the glamour game of the group stage. A measure of how comparatively few European fans have travelled to Qatar pic.twitter.com/MV3hkyZZWa
— Gavin Cooney (@gcooney93) November 27, 2022
Nearly time for off…
KICK-OFF: Spain get us underway, Gavi kicking off proceedings.
2 mins - Spain start on the front foot, enjoying the lion’s share of possession. Just how they like it.
6 mins - Some unnecessary fouls early doors as the sides settle in. Germany looking shaky in possession at the back, and Spain pounce. They play the ball around nicely, finding Asensio on the edge of the box… but he can’t get his feet right.
8 mins – CLOSE! Olmo with a thunderbolt from the left-hand side, Neuer produces an excellent save to knock it off the crossbar. Superb play from Spain in the build-up, with Pedri, Gavi and Asensio all involved. That will spark the game to life.
11 mins – A dangerous attack from Germany, a warning for Spain. A brilliant flick from Gundogan sends Goretzka right through the middle. He surges into space, and plays Gnabry through on the right. It’s late, Simón does well to cut it out — but the offside flag is up.
Here’s that earlier Spain effort:
🇪🇸 0-0 🇩🇪
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 27, 2022
Dani Olmo's shot gets the slightest deflection but Manuel Neuer reacts superbly to touch on to crossbar
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18 mins - An enjoyable start, quick and high tempo as Spain look to play on their terms. It has died down a little bit, offering the Germans an opportunity to try and stamp their authority on proceedings. They look to capitalise on a mistake in the Spanish defence, but Simón has it covered.
22 mins - “It’s like chess on a football pitch,” Darragh Moloney notes on RTÉ, referring to Spain’s build-up. They’re throwing the ball around, patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce.
Alba is the latest to do so, cutting in from the left flank and having a go with his right foot. It’s just wide of the near post.
24 mins – Germany come knocking on the door, Gnabry flashing an effort across the face of goal after a threatening passage of play. Spain thought they had cleared their lines at one point, but Simón gave it straight back to the Germans.
Earlier, Muller closed Simón down, and the Spanish goalkeeper lashed it out for a throw-in. Also of note, there was frustration in the ground as the referee belatedly awarded a free-kick for a clear foul on Alba.
26 mins - Spain giving the ball straight to Germany at one end, and the Germans do it at the other. A let-off for Neuer as nothing comes off his error.
30 mins - Germany’s high press is playing dividends, and they’re forcing their opponents to make mistakes. Rudiger had a wild effort earlier. Who’ll be next?
34 mins - Looked like a dead cert goal there, but Ferran Torres sends a sitter over the bar. It’s offside though, to spare his blushes, Olmo pinged for his breakaway run down the left before his excellent cross.
36 mins - Torress has been in the thick of it over the past few minutes. After that earlier miss, he’s blocked in the box by Musiala and then Keher sees yellow for a poor challenge on the Barcelona man.
GOAL! Germany 1-0 Spain (Rudiger, 39)
Scratch that, apologies… VAR. No goal. Still 0-0.
It was an excellent header from Rudiger, as he turned in a Kimmich free-kick, but two Germans were offside. He’s not impressed, the team having celebrated and all.
45 mins – Rudiger has a go off another free-kick, this time off the boot. He slips in around the back, out wide on the right and lets fly but Simón manages to keep it out. It was Busquets who gave away the free, seeing yellow for taking down Musiala on the break.
There are two minutes added on.
HALF-TIME: Spain 0-0 Germany
An interesting opening half, the score still 0-0 at Al Bayt Stadium. Germany had the ball in the back of the net, courtesy of Rudiger, in the closing minutes, but the goal was ruled out by VAR. Spain have had most of the possession, but haven’t exactly unlocked their opponents. The last few minutes have been pretty scrappy, with a big focus on the midfield battle. Both sides have had chances, and a big second period lies ahead.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments’ section below.
HT: 0-0. This game is really nicely poised: Spain bossing possession but a steelier Germany have a counter-punch. Germany still look vulnerable behind their full-backs, but much less so than against Japan
— Gavin Cooney (@gcooney93) November 27, 2022
SECOND-HALF: Germany get us up and running once more, at the second time of asking. The referee wasn’t happy with something, but we’re off.
47 mins - We saw it in the first half, and it’s evident again here. Spain mess around with the ball at the back, Simón and co. caught out but let off the hook. The German press is good, just like at the other end. A goal may come off it eventually…
48 mins – Asensio whips a dangerous ball into the box, but it’s too close to Neuer. The Germans counter, but are pinged for offside. Later, they draw a free-kick in a decent position.
50 mins - Absolutely nothing comes off it. Spain hold their line and let Germany drift offside, the ball sailing out. Spain are back on the ball, trying to get in their groove once more.
Meant to throw in some stats at half time. Here’s the latest:
Spain substitute - Morata comes in for Torres.
55 mins - There’s been a bit of a lull, the crowd’s Mexican Wave saying it all.
58 mins - Simón gets away with another slip-up. The Spanish goalkeeper plays a ball that isn’t on, Gundogan intercepts and plays it to Kimmich, who forces a save from Simón.
Olmo has a tame effort on Neuer at the other end, with Goretzka seeing yellow in between.
60 mins - Kimmich is the latest player in the book after his careless challenge on Olmo. Gavi gives away a free-kick for tackle on Masiala, but the Kimmich-Rudiger link-up fails to fire once more.
GOAL! Spain 1-0 Germany (Morata, 62)
What a finish. A beautiful flick with his right boot, leaving Neuer with no chance. The ball was played in by Alaba, a superb cross after being released down the left by Busquets. Two goals in two games for the substitute.
65 mins - Germany look to bounce right back, but it’s Spain with the next real chance. Gavi lets Alba’s cross-field pass run to Asensio, but he miscues his effort. Really should have done better.
Spain substitutes - Kote and Williams come in, Gavi and Asensio depart. Germany look to be preparing a few changes themselves.
Triple-substitution for Germany - Sané, Füllkrug and Klostermann in; Müller, Gündogan and Kehrer out.
72 mins - Buoyed by the goal, Spain are growing in confidence. Morata is mad for road, played through the lines by Pedri. The pressure is mounting on Germany. Musiala does brilliantly down the right and tries to tee-up Füllkrug in the area, but Rodri cuts it out.
74 mins - CLOSE! Musiala is played into the area, he pulls the trigger but Simón reacts brilliantly. Big chance, will it be one Germany will rue?
An attendance of 68,895 has just been announced.
79 mins - Germany are looking for anything they can get in the box. The ball looks to come off Busquet’s hand after a Sané flick, but play is waved on. They’ve just gotten a free-kick in a good position, on the edge of the box on the left.
82 mins - Kimmich hits it at the wall. It goes out for a corner, and from the weak set-piece, Spain counter. It’s cut out, though.
Spain substitution - Balde comes in for Alba for his second cap.
GOAL! Spain 1-1 Germany (Füllkrug, 83)
Woah! What a strike from the substitute. Musiala with the assist, the pair really bringing the fight to Spain in the past few minutes. Füllkrug surges into the box, takes the ball off his team-mate’s toe and smashes the ball high and into the back of the net.
Germany substitutes – Schlotterbeck replaces Rahm, with Hoffman in for Gnarby just beforehand.
Here’s a look at the two goals:
🇪🇸 1-1 🇩🇪
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 27, 2022
The net is well secured anyway...
Niclas Fullkrug rockets home the German equaliser
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🇪🇸 1-0 🇩🇪
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 27, 2022
Alvaro Morata (who else?) comes off the bench to break the deadlock
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90 mins - Morata is slipped through, but Schlotterbeck stops him in his tracks with a perfectly-timed tackle in the box. Morata goes down shouting, but it’s an excellent interception and goes out for a corner, which ultimately, amounts to nothing noteworthy.
There’s been six minutes added on.
Will we have a winner? Germany with the latest opportunity, as Spain give away a corner…
90 mins + 5 - There’s a lot going on in the box, and Kimmich’s deep ball goes over everyone. They’ve another corner here; the lightning-quick Sané opting to take Simón on on the break, though maybe he should have taken on the shot earlier.
Simón claims the delivery, and that’s that…
FULL-TIME: Spain 1-1 Germany
A share of the spoils, a result which keeps Germany in the running. A massive final day lies ahead in Group E. Here’s a look at tonight’s full-time stats:
That’s a wrap. Gavin Cooney’s article from the ground in Qatar is on the way, and there’ll be plenty more analysis and reaction on The42 over the next while. Stick with us for all your World Cup coverage. Thanks for reading folks, enjoy your Sunday night!
