Niclas Fullkrug earns draw for Germany to keep World Cup hopes alive

Niclas Fullkrug came off the bench to earn Germany a hard-fought draw against Spain and keep their World Cup hopes alive. A surprise loss to Japan in their opening Group E game means Hansi Flick's side do not have their destiny in their own hands but a 1-1 draw at Al Bayt Stadium - where Germany hit back after Alvaro Morata had opened the scoring - was a good response.

Only Costa Rica's late win over Japan earlier in the day gave the Germans any chance of avoiding group-stage elimination for the second time in succession but they will have to beat the Central Americans and hope the result in the other game goes their way to stay in Qatar.

Remarkably, Germany have now won just one of their five games since lifting the World Cup in 2014, but the way they came from behind here will give them confidence.

There were very few standout performances on either side, Spain not at the free-flowing best which saw them thrash Costa Rica 7-0 in their first game and Germany struggling for a cutting edge.

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Manuel Neuer's fine stop prevented Dani Olmo opening the scoring for Spain with just over five minutes on the clock as he tipped a fierce strike onto the crossbar.

Serge Gnabry was then gifted Germany's first chance when Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon played the ball out straight into the path of the Bayern Munich forward but he could not find the target. Neuer returned the favour immediately afterwards but Ferran Torres saw his effort blocked as both goalkeepers survived.

Antonio Rudiger