Niclas Fullkrug came off the bench to salvage a first Qatar World Cup point for Germany as they held Spain to a 1-1 draw at Al Bayt Stadium.
Spain substitute Alvaro Morata opened the scoring in the second half of the clash between Group E heavyweights in Doha on Sunday.
Yet Fullkrug ensured Germany avoided back-to-back defeats after they were stunned by Japan in their opening match, equalising with seven minutes of regulation time to play.
The draw leaves Spain top, ahead of their final group game against Japan, with Germany needing to beat Costa Rica and hope La Roja do them a favour to have any chance of qualifying.
Spain started brightly and almost had an early lead when Dani Olmo’s strike was palmed against the crossbar by the agile Manuel Neuer.
La Roja were dominating possession and marauding full-back Jordi Alba cut in from the left before flashing a shot wide of the near post.
Well-drilled Germany worked tirelessly without the ball and Antonio Rudiger thought he had opened the scoring late in the first half. The centre-back met Joshua Kimmich’s whipped free-kick from the right with a bullet header that found the net, but a VAR check showed he had strayed offside.
Spain coach Luis Enrique replaced Ferran Torres with Morata early in the second half, before Unai Simon kept out a measured attempt from Kimmich.
Germany were crying out for a recognised striker, having started with Thomas Muller in a more advanced role than usual as Kai Havertz dropped to the bench.
it was Spain’s replacement marksman Morata who broke the deadlock 62 minutes in, clinically beating Neuer with the outside of his right foot from six yards when Alba picked him out.
Germany responded well to going behind, Jamal Musiala having a good chance to equalise when Simon stood up well and stuck out a right arm to deny the teenager.
Fullkrug grasped his chance to get Germany up and running in the World Cup late on, though, firing in with his right foot after bursting into the box and taking the ball off the lively Musiala’s toe.
