World Cup 2022 – Costa Rica 2-4 Germany: Four-time tournament winners exit at group stage again

Germany suffered a second consecutive World Cup group-stage exit regardless of an exhilarating 4-2 win over Costa Rica on an evening of sensational Group E drama in Qatar.

After gathering only one level from their opening two video games, 4-time world champions Germany – who additionally exited at the group stage in 2018 – knew solely a victory at Al Bayt Stadium on Thursday night time would give them any probability of progressing to the final 16.

But regardless of securing the outcome they wanted, Japan scored a controversial winner to beat Spain and ship Hansi Flick’s facet out of the tournament as a result of Spaniards’ superior aim distinction.

Serge Gnabry’s early header (10) appeared to have set Germany on the best way to a snug three factors, however second-half objectives from Yeltsin Tejeda (58) and Juan Pablo Vargas (70) remarkably put Costa Rica in pole place to qualify for the final 16 and raised the unbelievable risk of each Germany and Spain going out.

But the drama didn’t finish there. Germany substitute and Chelsea ahead Kai Havertz turned the sport round again with a nicely-taken double (73 & 85) earlier than fellow substitute Niclas Fullkrug made it 4-2 within the 89th minute. The victory was not sufficient although because the 2014 tournament winners completed third in Group E, with Spain and Japan above them.

What does the result mean?

Japan end high of Group E with six factors, that means they may face Group F runners-up Croatia within the final 16 on Monday, with kick-off at 3pm.

Spain end second on 4 factors, forward of Germany on aim distinction, and can face Group F winners Morocco within the final 16 on Tuesday, kicking off at 3pm.

Costa Rica end backside of Group E on three factors and, like Germany, exit the competitors.

How Germany’s fightback led to disappointment

Germany’s night time began in encouraging style when Gnabry made the again of the web ripple after simply 10 minutes. David Raum was the creator on Germany’s left-hand facet, and his cross was expertly steered into the far nook by the Bayern Munich ahead.

Germany had been dominant and Leon Goretzka nearly scored at the again put up just for his header to be turned away by Keylor Navas, earlier than the spectacular Jamal Musiala masterfully tip-toed his manner into the Costa Rica space however pushed his effort extensive.

Despite being in full management, Germany had Manuel Neuer – making his nineteenth outing at the World Cup to grow to be the goalkeeper with essentially the most appearances within the historical past of the competitors – to thank for maintaining them forward at the interval.

Raum and Antonio Rudiger did not cope with an extended ball, permitting Keysher Fuller by way of, however his highly effective effort on aim was brilliantly palmed over by the veteran German stopper.

At half-time – and with Spain 1-0 up following Alvaro Morata’s strike – Germany had been on track for a final-16 tie in opposition to Morocco. But that dramatically modified inside minutes of the restart when Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka fired Japan into the lead. And it will worsen for the Germans when Yeltsin Tejeda scored his first worldwide aim after 57 minutes to attract Costa Rica degree.

In a frenetic response, Germany hit Navas’ left-hand put up on three events – twice by Musiala and likewise by Rudiger – earlier than Costa Rica did the unthinkable and scored a second. Juan Pablo Vargas bundled the ball dwelling from a free-kick to ship Costa Rica wild and on the verge of following Japan into the knockout levels, with Spain becoming a member of Germany in departing the competitors.

But a topsy-turvy night time took one other twist when substitute Havertz hauled Germany degree after he transformed Niclas Fullkrug’s cross three minutes later. And then, with 5 minutes remaining, Havertz had his second, turning dwelling Gnabry’s move to revive Germany’s lead.

Fullkrug then survived a VAR test to web his facet’s fourth earlier than 10 minutes of stoppage time ensued, with Germany hoping Spain might rescue a late equaliser in opposition to Japan – a outcome that might see them progress.

But Japan held on to seal a well-known win in opposition to Spain and ship Germany out of the World Cup – 4 years after they fell at the primary hurdle as defending champions in Russia – on a darkish night time for one of many world’s nice soccer superpowers.

Flick ‘offended’ at Germany’s first-half show

Germany head coach Hansi Flick mentioned: “In the first half I was disappointed and very angry at my team and how we allowed the opponent to come back. We wanted to score three or four goals in the first half but then we made mistakes.

“But the tournament was not determined as we speak for us. We didn’t have any effectivity at this tournament and that’s the reason we had been eradicated.

“If you know me and my team, I know we can get up quickly and recover from that.

“We will work on a future that is essential and really decisive, and we are going to see how we are able to implement our concept. In gentle of the European Championship, it’s tough to speak about that proper now after elimination.

“Now we need to assess our work during the World Cup, and head into a different direction. This is the next step we are going to undertake and we will do that very soon.”

Suarez: Costa Rica can maintain heads excessive

Costa Rica head coach Luis Fernando Suarez mentioned: “In this World Cup, we showed what Costa Rica are. I am very calm that we can leave with our heads high. I am so proud of this squad, they are so special. I am so proud of them, more than ever before.

“I go away with a sense of unhappiness, not as a result of we misplaced however that we’re leaving. It’s powerful to expertise this as a coach, much more so within the World Cup.

“The most important thing is there is so much room for improvement. In the next four years there are things we need to change, but we need to build on everything we have done in the past few years.”

Japan’s controversial winner in footage

The aim that ended up sending Germany dwelling…

Germany’s tournament woes proceed – Opta stats

• Germany have been eradicated from the group stage at consecutive World Cups (additionally 2018) after that they had progressed from the primary spherical group stage in every of their 16 earlier such appearances at the tournament.
• Germany have did not preserve a clear sheet of their final 12 matches at main tournaments (World Cups + Euros), additional extending their longest such streak.
• Costa Rica have scored extra World Cup objectives in opposition to Germany (4) than they’ve versus another facet, surpassing the three they’d scored in opposition to Uruguay in 2014. At the opposite finish, in opposition to no facet have they shipped extra objectives at the World Cup than they’ve versus Germany (8 – degree with Brazil).
• Kai Havertz turned solely the second Germany participant to attain a brace as an alternative in a single World Cup match after André Schürrle versus Brazil in 2014.
• Germany’s Manuel Neuer made his nineteenth look at the World Cup tonight, changing into the goalkeeper with the outright most appearances within the historical past of the competitors.