Germany rescued a late point against Spain to keep their FIFA World Cup 2022 knockout hopes alive. A late equaliser from Niclas Füllkrug in the 83rd minute saw the four-time champions take a point and therefore will now look to advance to the R16 although they will need a helping hand from Spain on Matchday 3. In other matches, Belgium were surprised by Morocco as they lost 2-0 while Croatia’s 4-1 win against Canada saw the latter get dumped out. Canada are the second team to get knocked out after Matchday 2 with hosts Qatar already crashing out as well.
Spain held to a draw as Germany remain alive
It was the fifth meeting between the powerhouses at World Cups, with Spain winning the most recent one 1-0 in the semifinals of the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Álvaro Morata put Spain in the lead in the 62nd minute with a nice one-touch from close range after a well-placed low cross from Jordi Alba. Germany only threatened sporadically with a few breakaways and set pieces, but Füllkrug finally found the equalizer with a shot from close range into the top of the net.
Substitute Niclas Füllkrug scored in the 83rd minute Sunday to give Germany a 1-1 draw against Spain at Al Bayt Stadium in one of the most anticipated matches of this year's World Cup.
A loss would not have eliminated Germany, but it would have left the team in a much more difficult position. Germany's fate will be decided on Thursday against Costa Rica, which defeated Japan 1-0 earlier Sunday.
Even a win may not be enough for the Germans, who lost to Japan in their opener and are in last place in Group E. They need the other result to go their way. If both Germany and Spain win, both will advance.
If there is a draw in the Japan-Spain match, Germany will need to overcome a goal-difference deficit against the Japanese. If Japan is victorious, then the Germans will have to top Spain — which beat Costa Rica 7-0 — on goal difference to get through.
Croatia dump out Canada
Croatia bounced back strong and knocked Canada right out of its first World Cup in 36 years. The 2018 runners-up got two goals from Andrej Kramaric on Sunday in a 4-1 victory over a Canadian team that has been eliminated after two matches in Qatar.
Alphonso Davies scored Canada's first-ever World Cup goal one minute into the match but Marko Livaja and Lovro Majer also scored for Croatia, which lost to France in the final four years ago in Russia and opened with a scoreless draw against Morocco.
Morocco pull off another World Cup upset, beat Belgium 2-0
Morocco pulled off yet another World Cup shock, and it was Belgium's aging "Golden Generation" that took the hit this time. The 2-0 upset left Kevin de Bruyne and the 2018 semifinalists in peril of a group-stage exit at what is likely the final World Cup for numerous players on a team that hasn't been able to win a major title.
Morocco substitute Abdelhamid Sabiri gave his team the lead by whipping in a free kick from a tight angle on the left in the 73rd minute that got under the body of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois — for many, the best in the world at his position.
