Ghana hold off SKorea, stave off elimination Germany salvage draw against Spain
Neuer makes 18th World Cup appearance
AL KHOR, Qatar, Nov 28, (AP): Only a win for Germany in the final group game will give the four-time World Cup champions a chance to avoid a second straight early elimination. At least they’re improving. 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.
“It was important that we got this point,” Füllkrug said. “We definitely have a chance to get through to the next round now. We can now go into the last game with a good feeling and hope that everything goes well.”
Germany’s fate will be decided on Thursday against Costa Rica, which de- feated 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
SOCCER
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.
Spain coach Luis Enrique said the draw wasn’t a bad result for Spain.
“We are still leaders of the group of death,” Luis Enrique said. “We still depend on ourselves and a draw will be enough against Japan, but we will try to go and win that match.”
Álvaro Morata put Spain in the lead in the 62nd minute with a nice onetouch from close range after a wellplaced low cross from Jordi Alba.
Germany only threatened sporadically with a few breakaways and set pieces, but the team improved gradually and Füllkrug finally found the equalizer with a shot from close range into the top of the net. Germany then squandered some last-gasp chances to get the win in the end.
“They are Germany, a great team,” Morata said. “They had an opportunity and they took advantage of it.”
Füllkrug’s goal kept Germany from enduring consecutive losses at the start of a World Cup for the first time. The Germans won the 2014 World Cup but since then have won only one of their
five World Cup matches. At the 2018 tournament in Russia, the team lost two of its matches and went home early.
Spain hasn’t lost to Germany in an official competition since the 1988 European Championship. The Germans lost to Spain 6-0 the last time they met, in the Nations League two years ago. Germany’s last win against “La Roja” came in a friendly eight years ago.
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.
Spain won their lone World Cup in 2010 and were eliminated in the round of 16 in 2018.
Germany captain Manuel Neuer made his 18th World Cup appearance to pull even with Germany’s Sepp Maier and Brazil’s Claudio Taffarel for the most appearances by a goalkeeper at the tournament.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP): Mohammed Kudus scored twice, including the go-ahead goal after South Korea evened the match in the second half, and Ghana staved off elimination at the World Cup with a 3-2 victory on Monday.
Mohammed Salisu also scored for the Black Stars, who lost their opening match against Portugal and were in need of points for a chance to reach the knockout round in Qatar.
Down 2-0, Cho Geu-sung scored both of South Korea’s goals about three minutes apart early in the second half to even the game at 2-2.
But Kudus’ low left-footed goal in the 68th minute sailed out of the reach of goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu to give the Black Stars back the lead. Goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi preserved the victory with a leaping save off Cho’s attempt in stoppage time.
South Korea forward Son Heungmin
SOCCER
remained without a goal in Qatar. The Tottenham forward wore a mask to protect a broken left eye socket he sustained in a Champions League game against Marseille earlier this month.
South Korea coach Paulo Bento was handed a red card in the moments following the match after a heated exchange with a referee.
Ghana scored a pair of goals in a strong performance in the opener but fell in the end to their Cristiano Ronaldo-led opponents 3-2.
South Korea played to a 0-0 draw in its opener with Uruguay. The team was making its sixth straight World Cup appearance.
Ghana became the third African nation to make it to the World Cup quarterfinals at the 2010 tournament. Black Stars captain Andre Ayew was also on that squad. No African team has reached the World Cup semifinals.
Known for their controlled possession, South Korea dominated the first 20 minutes. Ghana broke through in the 24th when Salisu scored in a scramble in front of the net off a free kick. After a spirited celebration encircled by his teammates, Salisu nervously crouched on the field while the goal was confirmed by video review.
Kudus, a 22-year-old midfielder for Ajax, doubled the lead with a header off a long cross from Jordan Ayew, despite the desperate efforts of defender Kim Jin-su.
Cho did a knee slide in front of South Korea’s bench and was dogpiled by his teammates after his first goal in the 58th minute. His second came in the 61st.
Ghana wrap up Group H on Friday against Uruguay, while the South Koreans play Portugal.