Luis Enrique close to round of 16 – Corriere.it

AL KHOR
The center forward is the essence of football and it’s hard without it. Luis Enrique and Hansi Flick discover it firsthand. With Asensio and Thomas Muller, nine very fake, Spain and Germany don’t go far, they lack penetration and striking force. Crossbar and post with a shot by Dani Olmo on one side and Rudiger’s goal disallowed by a matter of centimeters on the other, the gasps of the night in the desert. With real center forwards, the music and the game change. Morata lights up 8 minutes after entering with a superfine touch in advance of Sule, at the end of a perfect action. Flick, who doesn’t have any real strikers and one of the big problems of the Mannschaft, replies with Niclas Fullkrug, 29, from Werder Bremen, a low profile career always spent in Germany. The number 9, who is experiencing his moment of glory, takes thirteen to fix the accounts and keep alive his ramshackle team but appeared to be in progress, especially when the unleashed San enters, initially kept prudently on the bench because recovering from an injury.

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The draw leaves the fate of group G hanging, which will be decided on Thursday in the third day. Spain, which with the three points would have virtually qualified, must not get distracted and with Japan they will have to score at least one point. Germany is no longer the master of its own destiny: it must beat Costa Rica and trust in the help of La Roja. The risk of going out for the second consecutive time in the first concrete round. For the live team, he stands up to Spain and has the strength to catch up with them. In the final he could even overtake her but San’s last shot is not happy.

Spain takes a step back from the sparkling 7-0 with Costa Rica. The Germans one, small, forward after the crash with Japan. a contracted match. The Red Furies try to develop their usual harmonious game, but they are less precise than usual, especially in low exits, in their own half, exposing themselves to counter-attacks by their rivals. Luis Enrique changes only one player, recovering full-back Carvajal, but the team is not the same one that made its debut making sparks. Germany is not Costa Rica but a great desperate woman who has many problems and lives with the fear of going out. Flick, in addition to Muller false nine, tries to give substance to the midfield with Goretzka.

Spain conceded their best chance with Dani Olmo’s sudden shot which Neuer deflected off the bar with the ball also hitting the post. But the other two interpreters of the light and technical trident are not inspired this time: Asensio often runs idle and Ferran finds Raum’s tough opposition. Germany shrugged off their fears and also dreamed of overtaking: Rudiger came out of nowhere on Kimmich’s free-kick and struck Unai Simon. The panic of the Spaniards lasts only a few seconds. The Var catches the Real Madrid defender offside. The best in the second half, especially with the entry of the strikers. Increase the pace, goals and chances arrive. Germany for the first time in its history did not win one of the first two matches at the World Cup: an alarm bell. Flick still in the stormy sea.