The German footballers close sensationally at the World Cup in Qatar, already after the basic round. Although they beat Costa Rica 4:2, but because Spain lost 1:2 to Japan in a parallel game, the Germans finished third. Japan moves from first position, the Spaniards also slipped to the round of 16, who have a much better score than the Germans if they are level on points.
At the same time, if the Spanish manage to draw, the Germans would advance with them, who in turn would outscore the Japanese. But Hansi Flick’s men didn’t get help from the Iberian Peninsula team.
In the round of 16, the Japanese will face Croatia on Monday, while the Spaniards will face Morocco on Tuesday.
Serge Gnabry gave the Germans the lead against Costa Rica in the 10th minute. After switching sides, Yeltsin Tejeda and Juan Pablo Vargas turned the game around and at that moment Costa Rica advanced with Japan.
Although the German substitutes brought the score back to the German team, Kai Havertz scored twice and Niclas Füllkrug added the fourth, but it was useless for the winners who finished in the basic group for the second consecutive time at the World Cup .
“It’s a real disaster for me,” midfielder Thomas Müller said in an interview with ARD station immediately after the game.
In the 11th minute, striker Álvaro Morata gave the Spaniards the lead against Japan. However, in the 48th and 51st minutes, substitute Rica Doan and fellow midfielder Ao Tanaka turned the tide.
The result was enough for both teams to stay in the tournament. Moving on to the elimination round, the Japanese continued their participation in the round of 16 of the previous championship. The Spaniards lost after four games, but will miss the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six World Cups.
FIFA World Cup – Group E:
Costa Rica – Germany 2:4 (0:1)
Goals: 59. Tejeda, 70. Vargas – 73. and 84. Havertz, 10. Gnabry, 90.+1 Füllkrug. Referees: Frappartová (Fr.) – Backová (Brazil), Díazová-Medinaová (Mexico) – Fischer (video, Kan.). ZK. Duarte (Costa Rica). Spectators: 67,054.
Costa Rica: Navas – Fuller (74. Bennette), Duarte, Waston, Vargas, Oviedo (90.+3 Contreras) – Aguilera (46. Salas), Borges, Tejeda (90.+3 Wilson), Campbell – Venegas (74 . ).Matarrita). Coach: Suarez.
Německo: Neuer – Kimmich, Süle (90°+4 Ginter), Rüdiger, Raum (67° Havertz) – Goretzka (46° Klostermann), Gündogan (55° filling jug) – Gnabry, Musiala, Sané – Müller (67° Götze). Trainer: Flick.
Japan – Spain 2:1 (0:1)
Goals: 48. Doan, 51. Tanaka – 11. Morata. Referee: Gomes – Siwela (both South Africa), Phatsoane (Lesotho) – Guerrero (video, Mexico). ŽK: Itakura, Taniguchi, Yoshida (all of Japan). Spectators: 44,851.
Japan: Gonda – Itakura, Jošida, Taniguči – D. Ito, Morita, Tanaka (87. Endo), Nagatomo (46. Mitoma) – Kubo (46. Doan), Maeda (61. Asano), Kamada (69. Tomijasu) Trenér: Morijasu.
Spain: Simón – Azpilicueta (46. Carvajal), Rodri, P. Torres, Balde (68. Alba) – Busquets – Gavi (68. Fati), Pedri – Williams (57. F. Torres), Morata (57. Asensio) , Elm tree. Coach: Enrique.
