Spain is supposedly Germany’s strongest opponent in the preliminary round of the World Cup. But the title holder from 2010 also has its problems. At least he was allowed to cheer.
On Tuesday (September 27th, 2022) the Spaniards drew 1-0 in Portugal on the last day of the Nations League. This victory, with a goal from Alvaro Morata in the 87th minute, was enough to qualify for the final tournament. In June 2023, the Iberians will play with Croatia, the Netherlands and Italy for the Nations League Cup.
The world champion of 2010 has shown himself to be ball-safe and strong in combinations, but also largely harmless. That changed in the decisive scene.
Third duel in major tournaments in the 21st century
Spain versus Germany, this duel has already happened in two major tournaments this millennium. The Spaniards won the final of the 2008 European Championships 1-0, and the semi-finals of the World Cup two years later ended with the same result.
On November 27, 2022, there will now be the third comparison in a major tournament, but this time it is the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar. About ten weeks before the game, no favorite can be identified, the performances of the two teams have been too fluctuating in the past few months.
Similar to Germany, Spain suffered a severe setback in a home game. Coach Luis Enrique’s side lost 2-1 to Switzerland, a day after Germany’s squad lost 1-0 to Hungary.
Enrique started the game in Braga with a heavily changed starting XI. Seven new players joined the team, and the former Real Madrid and FC Barcelona professional stuck to a 4-3-3 system.
After the first half, the Spaniards had 66 percent possession, but none of the three shots came on target. As against Switzerland, the pace of the attacks was too slow to embarrass the opponent. Portugal were more dangerous but Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simon put in a good performance in the visitors’ goal, including deflecting a shot by Diogo Jota.
Weak second half
The level of the game dropped in the second half. The Spaniards continued to prioritize control over dynamic attacks. Alvaro Morata, in the center of attack, managed to get a shot on target with about 20 minutes to go.
In the closing stages, Spain then built up a little pressure, but there were no compelling chances until the 87th minute. Nico Williams then headed in a perfect long pass down the middle and Morata fired in from close range.