Fantastic Fullkrug bails out Neuer and Germany! Winners, losers and ratings as Morata proves his worth for Spain again
Morata #Morata
Germany would have taken a goal from anyone, but there was something fitting about the fact that it was Fullkrug who got them out of jail here.
For a start, he’s a striker, and that is a big issue with Hansi Flick’s side at the moment. So after Kai Havertz toiled as the No.9 in the opening game against Japan, and Thomas Muller did likewise here, how refreshing to see a genuine centre-forward doing what genuine centre-forwards do.
Fullkrug’s finish was clinical, and keeps Germany very much in the hunt for the last 16. Credit to Flick, who saw things weren’t working and changed it. Muller barely had a sniff of goal, but his replacement did, and he took his chance.
As for Fullkrug himself, what a story. At 29, this was only his third international appearance. Much of his career has been spent in the second tier of German football, but his form for Werder Bremen this season, where he has scored 10 times, earned him his call-up, and here he seized his opportunity.
His second goal for Germany may be the biggest he ever scores.