Substitute Niclas Fuellkrug’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 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.

Spain vs Germany latest news

• Full match report

Spain 1 - 1 Germany

Full match report

21:08 , Jonathan Gorrie

Substitute Niclas Fuellkrug’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 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.

Read Malik Ouzia’s full match report here!

FT: Spain 1-1 Germany

20:57 , Jonathan Gorrie

Germany can still qualify if they beat Costa Rica and Japan lose to Spain.

Six minutes added on

20:50 , Jonathan Gorrie

90:00 - While conservative by this tournament’s standards, there’s certainly enough time for a winner here.

Brilliant tackle

20:49 , Jonathan Gorrie

89:00- Schlotterbeck times his tackle to perfection to deny Morata a shot on goal.

Can Germany go on from here?

20:44 , Jonathan Gorrie

84:00 - A draw still doesn’t really suit them...

GOAL! Spain 1-1 Germany | Niclas Füllkrug ‘82

20:41 , Jonathan Gorrie

82:00 - Niclas Füllkrug thunders one past Simon after sloppy play from Laporte!

Wasted Germany free-kick

20:40 , Jonathan Gorrie

80:00 - Kimmich straight into the wall from just outside the box.

Not. Good. Enough.

CHANCE FOR GERMANY!

20:33 , Jonathan Gorrie

73:00 - Musiala shoots straight at Simon from close range.

Germany’s lack of cutting edge costs them again.

Spain changes

20:25 , Jonathan Gorrie

Malik Ouzia at Al Bayt Stadium

20:23 , Jonathan Gorrie

Amazing what a striker - even one called Alvaro Morata - can do, isn’t it?

GOAL! Spain 1-0 Germany | Alvaro Morata ‘62

20:20 , Jonathan Gorrie

62:00 - Just as Germany grow into the game, Alvaro Morata gives Spain the lead with a clever near-post finish.

CHANCE FOR GERMANY!

20:16 , Jonathan Gorrie

55:00 - Big save from Simon as Kimmich shoots from close range.

Spain change

20:13 , Jonathan Gorrie

Malik Ouzia at Al Bayt Stadium

20:11 , Jonathan Gorrie

Spain are playing such risky game at those set-pieces, putting all their eggs in the offside basket, presumably because they’ve got very little aerial presence. There were actually six Germany players in offside positions when that ball came in but fi someone can time a run only marginally better than Rudiger in the first-half they’ll have a free header.

Remains cagey

20:10 , Jonathan Gorrie

50:00 - Not the most thrilling of starts in the second-half but Germany are moving up the field somewhat.

Back underway!

20:04 , Jonathan Gorrie

Germany get us up and running for a huge second-half.

What a performance

19:58 , Jonathan Gorrie

Out of position, too!

HT: Spain 0-0 Germany

19:50 , Jonathan Gorrie

Perfectly poised at the break.

Malik Ouzia at Al Bayt Stadium

19:46 , Jonathan Gorrie

Two set-pieces in a row that Spain haven’t bothered to pick up the best header of a football on the pitch. It’s not a crowded field, in fairness. There are three centre-backs and no centre-forwards between the two sides.

ANOTHER GERMANY CHANCE!

19:46 , Jonathan Gorrie

44:00 - Simon parries Rudiger’s shot after another good set-piece.

Not seen much of Pedri and Gavi

19:44 , Jonathan Gorrie

42:00 - Spain’s two standouts have had no time on the ball at all.

DISALLOWED!

19:41 , Jonathan Gorrie

40:00 - Rudiger a yard offside following VAR intervention.

Let off for Spain...

GOAL! Spain 0-1 Germany

19:39 , Jonathan Gorrie

39:00 - Rudiger heads in from a corner! Brilliant header

Musiala blocks

19:37 , Jonathan Gorrie

35:00 - Torres gets a shot off but the Bayern Munich man throws his body in the way of it.

Spain going through the gears now.

Dan Kilpatrick at Al Bay Stadium

19:35 , Jonathan Gorrie

Germany’s press and aggression had unsettled Spain in the last 10 minutes but Torres’ big miss - albeit offside - was a reminder that they can quickly turn it on.

CHANCE FOR SPAIN!

19:34 , Jonathan Gorrie

32:00 - Torres fires over after Olmo’s cross! Saved by the flag in the end but a shocking finish.

Rudiger’s standard shot

19:31 , Jonathan Gorrie

29:00 - Chelsea fans will be too aware of Rudiger’s liking to shoot from range.

Trying his luck from 40 yards, it does not go well for him!

Germany’s turn to be sloppy

19:28 , Jonathan Gorrie

26:00 - Neuer gives it to Olmo, who plays Ferran Torres in quickly.

The Barcelona forward, however, takes too long and sees his shot blocked.

Lax from Spain

19:26 , Jonathan Gorrie

24:00 - Simon passes straight to Gnabry, who cuts inside and shoots with his left foot. It dribbles wide but a warning sign indeed.

Malik Ouzia at Al Bayt Stadium

19:24 , Jonathan Gorrie

The technical level on show here is just obscene. It’s like watching a Champions League game.

CHANCE FOR SPAIN!

19:23 , Jonathan Gorrie

21:00 - Alba drags his shot wide after cutting inside onto his right foot.

Dan Kilpatrick at Al Bayt Stadium

19:20 , Jonathan Gorrie

A whopping 76 possession for Spain in the opening 16 minutes, with Aymeric Laporte on track to make 150 passes tonight at his current rate... They really are very good at keeping hold of and winning back the ball, although Goretzka’s break suggests Germany could have joy on the counter.

Germany managing the game well

19:18 , Jonathan Gorrie

16:00 - While they are sitting back somwhat, they’re not allowing Pedri and Gavi to float much higher than Busquets, keeping the front three relatively isolated.

Germany well matched

19:14 , Jonathan Gorrie

12:00 - Spain are having a lot of the ball but Germany are soaking it up pretty well.

Olmo’s shot aside, there’s little to split them.

Germany almost in!

19:12 , Jonathan Gorrie

10:00 - Simon saves well from Gnabry after Goretzka breaks through the middle of the park.

Malik Ouzia at Al Bayt Stadium

19:10 , Jonathan Gorrie

I‘d love to know how many passes there were in the build-up to that Dani Olmo strike. Spain have had more than three-quarters of the ball already and are moving it very nicely indeed.

CHANCE FOR SPAIN!

19:08 , Jonathan Gorrie

06:00 - Olmo strikes the bar with a rasping shot from outside the box!

Good move from Spain

19:06 , Jonathan Gorrie

04:00 - Spain press Germany high and Pedri’s quick feet almost allows him in, though the Barcelona man is blocked off.

A sign of intent.

Spain on the ball early on

19:05 , Jonathan Gorrie

03:00 - Germany struggling to get near Spain, albeit their possession isn’t exactly pressing at the moment.

A low scoring game?

19:03 , Jonathan Gorrie

01:00 - Spain’s ability to hold on to the ball and Germany’s lack of a striker could make it a tense, low scoring game. Granted, Spain did hit seven last time out, but perhaps that was somewhat misleading.

KICK-OFF

19:01 , Jonathan Gorrie

Away we go!

Malik Ouzia at Al Bayt Stadium

18:55 , Jonathan Gorrie

This is the biggest game of the tournament so far and the number of empty seats is staggering.

Jurgen Klinsmann to BBC Sport

18:46 , Jonathan Gorrie

“They thought they were cruising after the first goal and they thought they were going to take the game home quietly.

“There was never a sense of urgency and determination.”

Gavi’s world

18:32 , Jonathan Gorrie

Born in 2004 (yes 2004!), Gavi announced himself on the world stage against Costa Rica.

Do the same against Germany and the legend will only grow.

Will Spain dominate?

18:26 , Jonathan Gorrie

If Luis Enrique’s side can dominate the ball against a midfield of Gundogan, Kimmich and Goretzka, it’s time to take them very seriously indeed.

A landmark day for a landmark player

18:20 , Jonathan Gorrie

But could it be his last meaningful World Cup game? A winner in 2014, the Bayern Munich ‘keeper could be a busy man tonight...

Malik Ouzia’s pre-match thoughts

18:03 , Jonathan Gorrie

No Morata for Spain

17:52 , Jonathan Gorrie

On the flip side, Spain boss Luis Enrique stopped short of making any changes after the big win over Costa Rica.

More of the same, it seems.

No Kai Havertz for Germany

17:48 , Jonathan Gorrie

A bold call given his record of scoring goals in big games perhaps...

Confirmed Germany lineup

17:40 , Jonathan Gorrie

Confirmed Spain lineup

17:35 , Jonathan Gorrie

Bad omens

17:24 , Jonathan Gorrie

Germany have won only one of their seven meetings with Spain and lost 6-0 during a Nations League clash in November 2020, their heaviest defeat since 1931.

Japan 0-1 Costa Rica: Roles reversed in humbling with late Fuller goal

17:18 , Jonathan Gorrie

Costa Rica bounced back from a seven-goal defeat to Spain by beating Japan to secure a famous World Cup win.

Japan were out to build on a huge comeback victory over Germany to kickstart their tournament but left matchwinner Takuma Asano on the bench as Hijame Moriyasu made five changes.

Costa Rica made two changes and switched to a five-man defence after the hammering at the hands of Spain.

Ritsu Doan, who netted the equaliser against Germany, was one of those introduced by Japan and his fine cross into the six-yard box teased an early opener, but with the goal gaping it went unmet.

While the Blue Samurai lacked a cutting edge, it was ambition largely found wanting for La Sele as they remained content to knock the ball around at the back.

A rare move forward after the half-hour mark drew a half-clearance to Joel Campbell, who lofted a hopeful poke at goal over the bar.

The end of one of the dullest halves in Qatar so far prompted Moriyasu to make two half-time changes, switching to a 3-4-3 formation with the introduction of Asano.

A momentary surge faded as Japan looked less like the swashbuckling comeback kings that downed Germany and more the raw, wayward young team that many expected to show up at this World Cup.

As the clock ticked, they became guilty of the lack of end product that did for the Germans and Costa Rica snatched all three points in the final ten minutes.

Keysher Fuller stepped up to produce the winner after scrappy play from Japan surrendered possession by their own box and a snapshot from the edge of the area managed to catch Shuichi Gonda napping and nestle in the top corner.

Costa Rica saw out the win with men behind the ball, their first shot on target in 170 minutes at this tournament earning their first World Cup victory in a 90-minute match since beating Italy in the 2014 group stage.

Just enough to get through?

17:15 , Jonathan Gorrie

Germany could become the first team to qualify with three points since Chile at the 1998 World Cup did it with draws against Italy, Austria, and Cameroon.

Luis Enrique sends Germany message

17:06 , Jonathan Gorrie

The Spain boss is not going to be taking Germany lightly.

“Without a doubt, they are the team that is most similar to Spain in terms of dominating the play and controlling it,” he said.

“That is a beautiful challenge for us. I think it will be an open game.”

Latest odds

17:01 , Jonathan Gorrie

Betfair: Spain vs Germany match odds

Spain: 29/20

Draw: 12/5

Germany: 19/10

A battle of the new generation

16:58 , Jonathan Gorrie

As exciting as Gavi is, it’s not as if Germany aren’t without their own wonderkid...

Wonder boy

16:56 , Jonathan Gorrie

Certainly not bad company to be in...

Hansi Flick looks forward to Germany’s 'first final’

16:53 , Jonathan Gorrie

Having lost to Japan, Germany boss Hansi Flick is all too aware every game his side play in Qatar from here is a final.

“The past two tournaments were not [good],” Flick said.

“We want to avoid a repeat of this. The focus is on concentration. This is the first final for us at the World Cup and that’s what it’s about - to avoid a repeat of that.”

Busquets to summon spirit of 2010 to lead Roja in World Cup bid

16:49 , Jonathan Gorrie

Spain captain Sergio Busquets will use his experience to help the country’s young players thrive under the pressure of a World Cup.

Head coach Luis Enrique has named a young squad for the tournament, with 20 players appearing at their first-ever World Cup.

Busquets is the only survivor from Spain’s 2010 World Cup win, and the 34-year-old is ready to act as a leader.

“The World Cup is unique,” he said.

“It’s the biggest sporting event and sometimes the nerves get the better of you when you don’t have much experience.

“I tell them we have to be faithful to our style of play and everything that we’ve been working on with our coach. We know it is going to be difficult, but our aim is to play seven games, fight until the end and why not win? We need to go step by step.”

Germany problem striking as Spain offer World Cup blueprint

16:43 , Jonathan Gorrie

So, can you win a World Cup without a striker? On the limited evidence of a tiny group-stage sample so far, the answer is, unsurprisingly, unclear.

Heading to Qatar, two of Europe’s footballing powerhouses had the lack of a prolific centre-forward as clear weaknesses in squads that were otherwise among the tournament’s most talented.

For Germany, it has already proved costly, as Hansi Flick’s side failed to put Japan away and were stunned by a late comeback, despite having 26 shots in the game. Then Spain, a couple of hours later, played Costa Rica and scored seven.

On Sunday night, the 2010 and 2014 winners meet in what looked the highlight of the group stage as soon as the draw was made and even more so now that it is not simply a potential shootout for top spot, but a potential knockout for the Germans.

Read the full story here!

Prediction: 1-1 draw

16:32 , Jonathan Gorrie

They say form goes out of the window in big tournament matches like this, and Germany better hope so after a humbling start to their World Cup, in total juxtaposition to Spain’s rapid explosion from the blocks.

Don’t expect a complete walkover here, though. Germany will be champing at the bit for a response to their Japan defeat and Spain know a draw should keep them in pole position for the last 16.

1-1 draw.

Germany team news: Sane could be available

16:32 , Jonathan Gorrie

Leroy Sane missed Germany’s opener through injury but Hansi Flick could have him available, to potentially dovetail with Jamal Musiala in attack against La Roja.

Spain team news: Morata fully fit

16:31 , Jonathan Gorrie

Alvaro Morata started the Costa Rica game on the bench due to a bout of flu, but was clearly well enough to come onto the pitch and score as a second half sub. Enrique might play his only recognised No.9 from the start, although Torres, Olmo and company didn’t do badly in the opener.

Where to watch Spain vs Germany

16:30 , Jonathan Gorrie

TV channel: In the UK, the match will be televised free-to-air and live on BBC One, with coverage beginning at 6.30pm ahead of the 7pm kick off.

Live stream: The BBC iPlayer will broadcast the match live online.

Live blog: You can also follow all the action via Standard Sport’s live blog.

Welcome

16:21 , Jonathan Gorrie

Good afternoon and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Spain’s huge clash with Germany.

Kick-off inside Al Bayt Stadium is at 7pm GMT.