Follow for all HIGHLIGHTS from the FIFA World Cup match between Germany and Costa Rica.
10 minutes added on, but it doesn’t matter much unless Spain scores a goal in the other game. Germany wins a corner. Japan wins in the other encounter, topping its group. It is all but over for Germany. Musiala keeps on trying for a goal, but it is not happening for him. AND IT IS FULL TIME AND GERMANY WINS, BUT IS OUT OF THE TOURNAMENT
Germany’s fate is now in the hands of Spain. Fullkrug puts the ball into the goal. Line referee calls an offside, but it is being checked for an offside. A VAR check and the goal is given. GERMANY 4-2 COSTA RICA.
Gnabry dishes a cutting cross in and Havertz taps it in. Germany gets ahead, again.
Another Costa Rica counter and a cross come in from the left, but Rudiger slams it away. If Costa Rica scores a goal, Spain will be out, as things stand.
Germany wins a string of corners but fails to get nothing out of it. Costa Rica tries to counter, but the eventual shot is wayward. The game is getting stretched at either ends.
Costa Rica on the attack again. But it is Germany who emerges out with a counter attack., Sane pushes it across and Fullkrug gets a chance to tap it in, but for a flying Navas. What a save.
Germany strikes back. It is Havertz who pounces on a loose ball to equalise the score. GERMANY 2-2 COSTA RICA
Costa Rica wins a freekick and it is deep into the box and a header is pushed back into the box. A melee ensues and it is Vargas who finally gets a touch and it creeps in. VAR gets a check, and Costa Rica has their goal. SPAIN AND GERMANY ARE OUT AS IT STANDS.
Germany has been flat-footed in the second half and Costa Rica has deservedly levelled the game.
Musiala drives in through the left and strikes with his left foot and it bounces off the post. SO CLOSEE!!! Musiala now sets up Muller, whose shot is blocked for a corner. As things stand, Spain and Japan are through.
Costa Rica gets into it through the right. A cross comes in and and Neur fumbles the headed and the rebound is pounced in by Tejeda. COSTA RICAAAA SCORES!!!!
Japan takes the lead over Spain and that has put Germany’s case further in crisis. It needs a lot more goals if it needs to get past the goal difference of Spain.
Japan has equalised against Spain and that puts Germany in third. Meanwhile it is Costa Rica who is attacking the German box. A tame shot and Neuer saves it easily.
Costa Rica fends off German attacks, multiple times. Flick would be wary off an error from his defence, just like in the first half.
Goretzka makes way for Klosterman. Kimmich comes into the midfield.
Sane gets into the act. He cuts in and thunders a shot, but is miles high off the post. Germany wins a corner, but Raum’s delivery is too deep. Costa Rica gets a chance to counter, but is too slow. AND IT IS HALF TIME!! GERMANY LEADS 1-0
Costa Rica gets its chance. Raum and Rudiger mess up a long ball and Fuller is through on goal and he smashes it and Neuer had to be at his best to swipe it away. GERMAN FANS BREATHE!!
Germany has pinned Costa Rica back into its penalty box as it looks for the insurance goal. Gnabry dummies his way into the box and tries to curl one into the top corner, but misses the target, not by much.
Kimmich unleashes one from afar and Navas almost fumbles it into the path of the attacker. Germany looking poised to score one more. Musiala angles in for a shot, but he misses the target.
Raum had nervy moment there, when he miskicked a back pass. He recovers well to head the ball back to Neuer .
Costa Rica with an attack down the left. A cross is floated in, but in evades everyone and ends as a throw-in. Gnabry with a shot again, and once more he wins a corner for his side.
Germany build up from the back. It is just wave after wave of German attack. Musiala is involved again, but this time the move is deemed offside.
Musiala and Gnabry link up again, but the latter is blocked before he could unleash the shot. The Bayern duo has been the most potent front for Germany so far.
Germany regains control of the game. Gnabry is at it again and he wins a corner. Raum whips it in but Sule’s header is mistimed.
Costa Rica finally through the German midfield and launches a long cross, which is comfortably dealt with by Sule.
Germany looking comfortable in the lead and is looking to capitalise on the momentum, to put itself in a safer position. Muller picks out Goretzka in the far post and Navas had to stay sharp.
Germany attacks through the left. Raum chips in a cross and Gnabry heads it in. Germany takes the lead.
Musiala dances his way through almost the entirety of Costa Rican defence, but fails to pull the trigger. The dancing shoes are on for the Bayern wonder kid.
Aggressive football from Germany, not letting Costa Rica have any sort of breathing room. Musiala now sets up Gnabry, but he is adjudged offside.
Germany is in control of the ball in the early minutes, And it is Musiala who gets the first shot of the game. Navas punches it away.
Germany kicks off the game. Kimmich is back to right back and Leroy Sane is in for Germany.
This is the second-ever encounter between Costa Rica and Germany, the first coming in the 2016 FIFA World Cup, where the Germans won 4-2.
PLAYING 11
Heading into the final set of Group E matches, Spain sits at the top and is likely to qualify for the round of 16 but none of the four teams is guaranteed a spot in the knockouts.
In the second round, Niclas Fullkurg scored in the 83rd minute to rescue Germany against Spain as the match ended in a 1-1 draw. It kept Die Mannschaft’s knockout hopes alive.
FIFA World Cup, Group F qualification scenarios
Meanwhile, Costa Rica secured a win against Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan. Keysher Fuller’s 81st minute strike was enough to seal the victory for Costa Rica.
As things stand, the group is wide open and any two of the four teams can book a round of 16 spot.
| Position | Teams | Matches played | Win | Draw | Loss | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| 1 | Spain | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 4 |
| 2 | Japan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Costa Rica | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 3 |
| 4 | Germany | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
How can Spain qualify?
Spain takes on Japan on December 2 (IST) at the Khaifa International stadium. La Furia Roja will secure a place in the knockouts with a win or a draw. It can also afford a defeat, but its qualification will come down to goal difference. A loss to Japan coupled with a Costa Rica victory over Germany will result in Spain getting knocked out.
How can Japan qualify?
A win against Spain, although highly improbable, will ensure a Round of 16 spot for Moriyasu’s side. If the match ends in a draw there are two possible outcomes for Japan - if Costa Rica vs Germany ends in a draw, Japan goes through although if Costa Rica manages a win against Germany, Japan will be knocked out. Goal difference will come into play if Japan draws against Spain and Germany registers a win. Japan will get knocked out straightaway if it loses against Spain.
How can Costa Rica qualify?
Costa Rica can progress into the knockouts with a win against Germany. It can also manage to scrape through with a draw under one condition - Spain beats Japan. If Luis Fernando Suarez’s side plays out a draw and Japan manages a win against Spain, goal difference will decide its fate. If both games are drawn, or Costa Rica loses, Costa Rica will be knocked out of the tournament.
How can Germany qualify?
Germany needs an outright win against Costa Rica to stay in contention for a knockout spot. A win against Costa Rica combined with Spain’s win over Japan will guide Hansi Flick’s side into the knockouts. If Japan manages to win or draw against Spain, goal difference comes into play and Germany will have to win by a margin of two or more goals. Any other result will mean that Die Mannschaft will get eliminated.
FIFA WORLD CUP RELATED STORIES
- Scan the World Cup in pictures
- Football fans, put your skills to the test with FIFA World Cup Quiz
- Soak in the rich history of the football World Cup
- WATCH: What’s happening in Qatar and who is saying what
- Here are some of the most frequently asked questions
PREVIEW
Germany coach Hansi Flick has no plans to step down if the four-time world champions crash out of the World Cup early for the second straight tournament, he said on Wednesday.
Flick, who took over last year after Joachim Loew’s 15 years at the helm, has seen his team lose their Group E opener to Japan before rescuing a 1-1 draw with Spain thanks to a late equaliser.
The Germans were eliminated in the first round at the 2018 World Cup, at that time their earliest exit in over 80 years.
PREDICTED 11
“I can confirm it (I will be staying on) from my side but I have a contract until 2024 and I look forward to the home Euros (in 2024) but it is a long time until then,” he told a news conference. Germany will host the Euro 2024 tournament.
The Germans are with their backs to the wall in their last match against Costa Rica on Thursday, needing a win to have any chance of progressing to the knockout stage.
Victory over Costa Rica, who lost 7-0 in their opener to Spain, coupled with a win for Spain against Japan, would see them through along with the Spaniards.
A draw between Spain and Japan in the other game, however, or even a win for the Asians, would take the equation to goal difference.
“We want to kill off the game early so as to pile pressure on the other group game,” he said. “They (Costa Rica) will be defensive most likely. We need to do it and we have to have the attitude we showed against Spain.”
Costa Rica have had only one shot on target in their two matches so far but it was enough to score the winner against Japan.
“When you look at the table Costa Rica have a chance to reach the round of 16. A draw, and a win for Spain, is enough for them to advance,” Flick said. “I expect from Costa Rica a defensive performance as they did it against Japan.”
“We have to find solutions against that.” Depending on the other game’s result, qualification could come down to goal difference, with Spain’s big win over the Central Americans giving them the edge.
Scoring more goals against Costa Rica than Spain is not an option for Flick.
“I think it would show a lack of respect to Costa Rica to talk about scoring eight goals,” he said.
“We will be happy if we win it and that is our aim. We want to try to decide it for us from the start. But to come back from that 7-0 and deliver such a defensive performance against Japan deserves respect.”
As for pressure, Flick is not feeling it even though Germany’s tournament reputation is on the line.
“We have the qualification not entirely in our own hands,” he said. “But what is pressure?... I feel no pressure. Not after the game against Japan either. I am convinced we are on a good path.”
Comments
SHARE