• SPAIN PLAYER RATINGS: Unai Simon – 6. Quickly off his line to meet Gnabry after 10. Poor clearance to the same player saw a shot wide on 24. Saved by Rudiger being offside on 38 and saved a shot from the same player on 44. Another terrible pass on 56 set up a Germany attack. Too much power on Fullkrug’s equalising shot for him. Brilliant at the end to push a German attack wide. EPA
    SPAIN PLAYER RATINGS: Unai Simon – 6. Quickly off his line to meet Gnabry after 10. Poor clearance to the same player saw a shot wide on 24. Saved by Rudiger being offside on 38 and saved a shot from the same player on 44. Another terrible pass on 56 set up a Germany attack. Too much power on Fullkrug’s equalising shot for him. Brilliant at the end to push a German attack wide. EPA
  • Dani Carvajal – 6. Pressed high but limited impact. EPA
    Dani Carvajal – 6. Pressed high but limited impact. EPA
  • Rodri – 6. Usually a holding midfielder, he held the defensive line well – six Germany players were offside at one free-kick. Made a key late interception. Had 118 touches – his German opposite Rudiger had 56. AP
    Rodri – 6. Usually a holding midfielder, he held the defensive line well – six Germany players were offside at one free-kick. Made a key late interception. Had 118 touches – his German opposite Rudiger had 56. AP
  • Aymeric Laporte – 6. Adrift when Germany equalised, but otherwise solid against a Germany side who had less possession but better chances. AFP
    Aymeric Laporte – 6. Adrift when Germany equalised, but otherwise solid against a Germany side who had less possession but better chances. AFP
  • Jordi Alba – 7. Accurate cross for Morata to put Spain ahead, then he defended a German attack two minutes later. AFP
    Jordi Alba – 7. Accurate cross for Morata to put Spain ahead, then he defended a German attack two minutes later. AFP
  • Gavi – 6. Like his two Barcelona midfield foils, was limited in his time on the ball by Germany’s smart tactics in the first half. Clever to let a ball past him for Asensio to shoot. Won every tackle. AP
    Gavi – 6. Like his two Barcelona midfield foils, was limited in his time on the ball by Germany’s smart tactics in the first half. Clever to let a ball past him for Asensio to shoot. Won every tackle. AP
  • Sergio Busquets – 6. Played as the ‘1’ in a 4-1-2-3 formation. His 15th game in his fourth World Cup finals, he was closed down whenever he got the ball – Germany knew stopping him would be a hindrance to Spain. Started the play which led to the opening goal. Booked. AFP
    Sergio Busquets – 6. Played as the ‘1’ in a 4-1-2-3 formation. His 15th game in his fourth World Cup finals, he was closed down whenever he got the ball – Germany knew stopping him would be a hindrance to Spain. Started the play which led to the opening goal. Booked. AFP
  • Pedri – 6. Struggled to get time on the ball in the first half. Tried to play Morata in on a night when Spain were brought back down to earth. EPA
    Pedri – 6. Struggled to get time on the ball in the first half. Tried to play Morata in on a night when Spain were brought back down to earth. EPA
  • Ferran Torres – 5. Set up by Olmo on 24 but took too long to take a shot. Missed a good 33rd minute chance and will perhaps be thankful he was offside. Shot blocked three minutes later, then brought down in a yellow card challenge. Off after 53. EPA
    Ferran Torres – 5. Set up by Olmo on 24 but took too long to take a shot. Missed a good 33rd minute chance and will perhaps be thankful he was offside. Shot blocked three minutes later, then brought down in a yellow card challenge. Off after 53. EPA
  • Marco Asensio – 5. Strong run down the left on 46, brought down by Goretska who had to stop him getting past him on 57. Bad, bad miss when he leaned back to shoot on 65. Came off a minute later. AP
    Marco Asensio – 5. Strong run down the left on 46, brought down by Goretska who had to stop him getting past him on 57. Bad, bad miss when he leaned back to shoot on 65. Came off a minute later. AP
  • Dani Olmo – 7. Fine sixth minute shot well saved as Spain opened up Germany – a 35 pass move which started which started with the goalkeeper. Involved in the opening goal. AFP
    Dani Olmo – 7. Fine sixth minute shot well saved as Spain opened up Germany – a 35 pass move which started which started with the goalkeeper. Involved in the opening goal. AFP
  • SUBS: Alvaro Morata (Torres 53’) – 8. Put Spain ahead nine minutes after coming on. Really smart finish, his 29th goal for Spain, as he got ahead of his marker. Had the desired impact on the game – and that meant Spain are going through to the next round. Getty
    SUBS: Alvaro Morata (Torres 53’) – 8. Put Spain ahead nine minutes after coming on. Really smart finish, his 29th goal for Spain, as he got ahead of his marker. Had the desired impact on the game – and that meant Spain are going through to the next round. Getty
  • Nico Williams (Asensio 65’) – 6. The Athletic Club striker worked hard in an even game. EPA
    Nico Williams (Asensio 65’) – 6. The Athletic Club striker worked hard in an even game. EPA
  • Koke (Gavi 66’) – 6. Brought experience for Spain in front of the 68,895 crowd. Getty
    Koke (Gavi 66’) – 6. Brought experience for Spain in front of the 68,895 crowd. Getty
  • Alejandro Balde (Alba 82’) – N/A. The teenager walked straight into a German attack which led to their equaliser. AP
    Alejandro Balde (Alba 82’) – N/A. The teenager walked straight into a German attack which led to their equaliser. AP
  • GERMANY RATINGS: Manuel Neuer – 6. The Germany skipper managed to get enough of a touch on Olmo’s incredible effort from distance in the opening stages to tip it onto the crossbar, but could do little when Morata found the back of the net. Reuters
    GERMANY RATINGS: Manuel Neuer – 6. The Germany skipper managed to get enough of a touch on Olmo’s incredible effort from distance in the opening stages to tip it onto the crossbar, but could do little when Morata found the back of the net. Reuters
  • Thilo Kehrer – 6. The West Ham centre-back made his World Cup debut and largely stood tall to keep Spain quiet. He was edged out of the game the longer it went on. Booked. AFP
    Thilo Kehrer – 6. The West Ham centre-back made his World Cup debut and largely stood tall to keep Spain quiet. He was edged out of the game the longer it went on. Booked. AFP
  • Niklas Sule – 6. Playing more centrally, with Kehrer playing on the wing, the Borussia Dortmund defender was largely equal to what Spain threw at him in the first half. However, he was taken by surprise as Morata cut inside him to put Spain ahead. EPA
    Niklas Sule – 6. Playing more centrally, with Kehrer playing on the wing, the Borussia Dortmund defender was largely equal to what Spain threw at him in the first half. However, he was taken by surprise as Morata cut inside him to put Spain ahead. EPA
  • Antonio Rudiger – 7. The Real Madrid man thought he’d headed his side into the lead from a Kimmich free-kick, but he saw his goal disallowed for offside. Earlier, he’d tried his traditional shot from distance, but the effort was off-balance and went into the stands. Getty
    Antonio Rudiger – 7. The Real Madrid man thought he’d headed his side into the lead from a Kimmich free-kick, but he saw his goal disallowed for offside. Earlier, he’d tried his traditional shot from distance, but the effort was off-balance and went into the stands. Getty
  • David Raum – 7. Kept busy managing Torres before the Spaniard’s departure, the RB Leipzig defender also reacted well to Neuer’s poor pass being intercepted, tracking back to make a block and deny Torres a chance at goal. AFP
    David Raum – 7. Kept busy managing Torres before the Spaniard’s departure, the RB Leipzig defender also reacted well to Neuer’s poor pass being intercepted, tracking back to make a block and deny Torres a chance at goal. AFP
  • Joshua Kimmich – 6. While the 27-year-old was forced on the backfoot as Spain dominated possession, Kimmich’s pressing nearly resulted in an opener for the Germans when he dispossessed Simon before he was played in by Gundogan to force the Spanish goalkeeper to push wide. His set pieces were poor. AFP
    Joshua Kimmich – 6. While the 27-year-old was forced on the backfoot as Spain dominated possession, Kimmich’s pressing nearly resulted in an opener for the Germans when he dispossessed Simon before he was played in by Gundogan to force the Spanish goalkeeper to push wide. His set pieces were poor. AFP
  • Leon Goretzka – 7. One of two changes to the German side, he almost made an immediate impact when Gundogan won the ball in his own half, before Goretzka’s neat touch sent the German team on a promising break. In the dying minutes, he put in an excellent challenge to deny Williams a counter-attacking opportunity. Getty
    Leon Goretzka – 7. One of two changes to the German side, he almost made an immediate impact when Gundogan won the ball in his own half, before Goretzka’s neat touch sent the German team on a promising break. In the dying minutes, he put in an excellent challenge to deny Williams a counter-attacking opportunity. Getty
  • Serge Gnabry – 6. Saw his shot blocked when Goretzka went on a spritely charge forward, though the offside flag was eventually raised. Later in the first half, he couldn’t quite curl his effort on target when he cut inside in the box. EPA
    Serge Gnabry – 6. Saw his shot blocked when Goretzka went on a spritely charge forward, though the offside flag was eventually raised. Later in the first half, he couldn’t quite curl his effort on target when he cut inside in the box. EPA
  • Ilkay Gundogan – 7. Played a more advanced role than he did against Japan and the Manchester City midfielder seemed to find a way of causing problems and winning the ball to spark attacks. Germany would have wanted to see him on the ball more often to help dictate things. Reuters
    Ilkay Gundogan – 7. Played a more advanced role than he did against Japan and the Manchester City midfielder seemed to find a way of causing problems and winning the ball to spark attacks. Germany would have wanted to see him on the ball more often to help dictate things. Reuters
  • Jamal Musiala – 7. The Bayern Munich winger was a threat when he got on the ball in Spain’s half, and he created two opportunities for his side in the second half, shooting at Simon for the latter, before setting up the equaliser. Earlier, he timed a block to perfection to deny Torres releasing the trigger in the box in the 36th minute. Getty
    Jamal Musiala – 7. The Bayern Munich winger was a threat when he got on the ball in Spain’s half, and he created two opportunities for his side in the second half, shooting at Simon for the latter, before setting up the equaliser. Earlier, he timed a block to perfection to deny Torres releasing the trigger in the box in the 36th minute. Getty
  • Thomas Muller – 5. The 2010 World Cup golden boot winner led the line ahead of Kai Havertz, but was unable to create anything of note before he was taken off. PA
    Thomas Muller – 5. The 2010 World Cup golden boot winner led the line ahead of Kai Havertz, but was unable to create anything of note before he was taken off. PA
  • SUBS: Niclas Fullkrug (Muller 70’) – 7. Made an immediate impression when Musiala played a low cross at the near post, which the striker was unable to get on target. More importantly, he found the target when the ball fell to him again, and he fired into the top corner. AFP
    SUBS: Niclas Fullkrug (Muller 70’) – 7. Made an immediate impression when Musiala played a low cross at the near post, which the striker was unable to get on target. More importantly, he found the target when the ball fell to him again, and he fired into the top corner. AFP
  • Leroy Sane (Gundogan 70’) – 6. Added something fresh to Germany’s side when he came on. He kept pushing even into stoppage time, chasing a long ball and managing to keep it in. AFP
    Leroy Sane (Gundogan 70’) – 6. Added something fresh to Germany’s side when he came on. He kept pushing even into stoppage time, chasing a long ball and managing to keep it in. AFP
  • Lukas Klostermann (Kehrer 70’) – 6. Replaced Kehrer at full-back and played his role in Germany winning a point. AP
    Lukas Klostermann (Kehrer 70’) – 6. Replaced Kehrer at full-back and played his role in Germany winning a point. AP
  • Jonas Hofmann (Gnarby 85’) – N/A. Late substitution and didn’t have time to get on the ball, but did make two blocks. AFP
    Jonas Hofmann (Gnarby 85’) – N/A. Late substitution and didn’t have time to get on the ball, but did make two blocks. AFP
  • Nico Schlotterbeck (Raum 87’) – N/A. A late defensive change, he timed a challenge in the box to perfection in the final minutes of the 90, despite playing Morata onside when the Spainard was through on goal. EPA
    Nico Schlotterbeck (Raum 87’) – N/A. A late defensive change, he timed a challenge in the box to perfection in the final minutes of the 90, despite playing Morata onside when the Spainard was through on goal. EPA

Spain v Germany player ratings: Morata 8, Pedri 6; Musiala 7, Muller 5


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Substitute Niclas Fullkrug's close range strike late in the second half rescued Germany a valuable 1-1 draw against Spain in a World Cup Group E showdown on Sunday, a result which left the group still wide open.

Alvaro Morata, also a substitute, beat his marker and flicked the ball in at the near post past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer following a low cross from Jordi Alba in the 62nd minute to give Spain the lead.

But Fuellkrug levelled in the 83rd minute, smashing home a loose ball inside the box.

Spain top the standings with four points and now need only a draw in their final Group E game against Japan to progress. A win would send them through to the knockout round in first place.

Germany, who lost 2-1 in their opener against Japan, are bottom of the table on one point. They need to win against Costa Rica on Thursday and their hopes then depend on Japan losing. If Japan draw it would come down to goal difference or goals scored by Germany and Japan.

Assessing the performances at the Al Bayt Stadium, Andy Mitten provides the player ratings for Spain, while Emma James gives her verdict on Germany in the photo gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.

Updated: November 28, 2022, 4:09 AM