Costa Rica vs Germany LIVE: World Cup 2022 result and reaction as Germany win but go out
Germany must defeat Costa Rica or else they will be eliminated from the World Cup
Four-time champions Germany sensationally crashed out of the World Cup despite a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica in their last Group E match on Thursday, tumbling out at the first hurdle for the second consecutive time. Germany finished third in the standings, behind Spain on goal difference, with Japan top following their 2-1 win over the Spaniards.
The result left Japan facing Croatia in the last 16 while Spain will take on Morocco. On a night of unrelenting drama in the desert near Doha, the Germans struck first with Serge Gnabry in the 10th minute but saw the Central Americans score twice with Yeltsin Tejeda and a Manuel Neuer own goal before a Kai Havertz brace put them back in front. Fellow substitute Niclas Fuellkrug added a fourth in stoppage time but it could do nothing to prevent their elimination as Spain advanced with a superior goal difference. It was the first time in their illustrious World Cup history that Germany had failed to win any of their first two group matches and despite bagging a win on their last attempt, they will be departing Qatar with dropped heads.
“In the first half I was disappointed and very angry at my team and how we allowed the opponent to come back,” Germany coach Hansi Flick said. “We wanted to score three or four goals in the first half but then we made mistakes. If we had converted those chances, 16 of them. But the tournament was not decided today for us. We did not have any efficiency at this tournament and that is why we were eliminated.”
They were teetering on the brink of elimination going into the game after losing their opening group match to Japan and then snatching a 1-1 draw against Spain. Needing only victory to avoid a repeat of their shock 2018 World Cup first round exit, Germany, with seven Bayern Munich players in their line-up, charged forward from the start in search of an early goal to settle their nerves. Jamal Musiala cut from left into the box and tested keeper Keylor Navas with a low drive in the second minute. It was one-way traffic initially and unmarked Thomas Mueller should have done much better when he was picked out by Joshua Kimmich but could not keep his header on target. Gnabry, however, scored with his glancing header in the 10th minute to put the four-time champions in front. Costa Rica, who required at least a point to have a chance to progress, rarely crossed into the German half, with only about 25% possession in the first 45 minutes. Germany were eager to make amends for their bad tournament start with teenager Musiala repeatedly taking on the entire Costa Rican defence. The chances kept coming but the Germans, as in the game against Japan, struggled to convert them. They were almost punished when Keysher Fuller benefitted from a double defensive blunder but his shot was tipped over the bar by Neuer, whose 19th appearance at the tournament was a World Cup record for goalkeepers.
With the group standings flashing up on the big screen of the Al Bayt stadium, Germany grew nervous with Musiala twice hitting the post early in the second half. Neuer, however, could do nothing 13 minutes after the restart when Tejeda thundered the ball past him on the rebound after he had first saved a Kendall Waston header. Juan Pablo Vargas then appeared to have bundled the ball over the line in the 70th minute to put Costa Rica in front but the effort was later credited as a Neuer own goal. Substitute Havertz scored twice in 12 minutes and Fuellkrug added another in stoppage time but ultimately it was too little too late with Spain advancing with a superior goal difference.
Relive all the action from out live blog below:
Who has been eliminated from World Cup 2022 and who has qualified for the knockout stage?
The 2022 World Cup is in full swing as 32 nations began on 20 November aiming to lift the Jules Rimet trophy in Doha on 18 December.
Despite the many off-field issues around the tournament in Qatar, the group stage has thrown up plenty of thrills and spills, with Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia going down as one of the greatest shocks of any World Cup in history. Japan also stunned Germany, while Spain and England racked up goals in statement opening wins.
The top two teams from each group go through to the round of 16, with group winners taking on the runners-up from a different group, while the third- and fourth-placed nations in each group are eliminated from the competition.
Here are the teams qualified for the last 16 so far:
Who has been eliminated from the World Cup and who has qualified for the knockouts?
The teams through to the round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup - and those going home
FT Costa Rica 2-4 Germany
Germany had 32 efforts on goal against Costa Rica, the highest total by any team in a single match at the 2022 World Cup. They scored four of them whilst hitting the woodwork three times.
Spain knocked in seven goals in 17 attempts against the South American side which is what has sent them into the knockout stages.
Germany crash out of World Cup group stage despite victory over Costa Rica
Germany have been knocked out of the World Cup in Qatar after finishing third in Group E despite a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica.
Hansi Flick’s side came from behind against Los Ticos to win at the Al Bayt Stadium, but Japan’s shock win over Spain sent them tumbling out before the knockout phase for a second consecutive World Cup.
Japan topped the group on six points, with Spain edging out the four-time world champions on goal difference thanks to their opening 7-0 win over Costa Rica.
Germany’s campaign in Qatar started off with a stunning loss to Japan, despite dominating the contest, as goals from Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano handed Flick’s side a defeat.
Germany crash out of World Cup despite victory over Costa Rica
Spain's shock defeat by Japan meant the Germans were eliminated in the first round in Qatar, finishing third in Group E
FT Costa Rica 2-4 Germany
Japan are only the third team in World Cup history to win two different games at a single edition in which they were losing at half-time, after Brazil in 1938 and Germany in 1970.
Their 2-1 victory over Spain has knocked Germany out of the World Cup. They’ll now face Croatia in the last-16.
Even with Jamal Musiala everywhere, Germany are going nowhere
The team sheet suggested that Jamal Musiala was lining up as Germany’s No 10, behind Thomas Muller, ahead of Ilkay Gundogan and Leon Goretzka, and between Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane. Alternatively, coach Hansi Flick could have simply written Musiala’s name six times.
For the 19-year-old, with his nation needing him to turn up perhaps above all others in this team, turned up instead of them. And he decided to turn up on the left, on the right, through the middle, and from deep.
In an ideal situation and the kind in which Germany usually find themselves, such a responsibility would not fall on such young shoulders – not yet broadened as they will be by the time the 2026 World Cup arrives in the US, Canada and Mexico. But this edition of the tournament does not represent an ideal situation, and this must-win clash with Costa Rica was far from the kind in which Germany usually find themselves. So, step forward Jamal Musiala; step up, step left, step right, step on every blade of grass in sight.
For 45 minutes, Flick’s side briefly looked a team transformed – invigorated and insatiable in pursuit of the three points that would take them into the last 16 in Qatar, but only if coupled with a Spanish victory over Japan, who shocked Germany a week ago.
Even with Jamal Musiala everywhere, Germany are going nowhere
Costa Rica 2-4 Germany: The 19-year-old took responsibility where so many of his teammates forfeited it
FT Costa Rica 2-4 Germany
Group E finishes with Japan on six points, Spain on four (+6 GD), Germany on four (+1 GD) and Costa Rica on three.
What a group, what a night, what a result for Japan!
Full-time: Costa Rica 2-4 Germany
90+10 mins: Germany are out of the World Cup!
Japan have beaten Spain 2-1 to finish top of Group E. Spain have a better goal difference than Germany meaning that they finish second in the group and get through as well.
The four time world champions are knocked out in the group stages for a second World Cup in a row! They’ve won the match against Costa Rica but fail to qualify.
Costa Rica 2-4 Germany
90+7 mins: All the German fans inside the stadium will be glued to their phones right now. They’re waiting for news of a Spanish goal but time is running out.
There can only be a few seconds left in that match. As it stands Germany will win the game but lose out on a place in the last-16.
Costa Rica 2-4 Germany
90+5 mins: Kai Havertz scored his first World Cup goal for Germany from his first shot on target. He is also the second German to score a brace as a sub at the World Cup after Andre Schurrle in 2014 vs Brazil.
His efforts might not be enough to get Germany through though.
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