Draw vs. Spain gives Germany hope

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 wouldn’t 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 have a chance to get through to the next round now. We can now go into the last game with a good feeling.” Germany’s fate will be decided Thursday against Costa Rica. 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’s 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. Spain won its lone World Cup in 2010 and was eliminated in the round of 16 in 2018.