Costa Rica surprised Japan 1-0 due to a late purpose on the World Cup on Sunday to blow Group E vast open and hand a possible lifeline to Germany. Japan, who shocked four-time champions Germany 2-1 of their opener in Qatar, might have taken an enormous stride in direction of the final 16 with a win. As a substitute they laboured for giant components of the match towards a Costa Rica aspect who had been hammered 7-0 by Spain, then defender Keysher Fuller scored within the 81st minute with a deflected strike. It was Costa Rica’s first shot on the right track at this World Cup and could possibly be of giant profit to the Germans.
The end result left Spain, Japan and Costa Rica all on three factors. Spain face Germany later Sunday in one other essential contest.
Japan made 5 modifications to the workforce which shocked Germany of their opening match as coach Hajime Moriyasu made full use of his 26-man squad.
In temperatures of 32 levels Celsius (90 levels Fahrenheit) at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Japan instantly went on the assault and gained a nook inside 30 seconds to sign their intent.
Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez had resisted making wholesale modifications to the workforce thumped by Spain, dropping teenage winger Jewison Bennette and defender Carlos Martinez to the bench.
Gerson Torres and 34-year-old centre-back Kendall Waston took their place in an ageing XI which featured 4 gamers from the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals.
However Japan’s early promise melted within the Doha solar and the primary shot at purpose — a tame effort which sailed excessive and vast — didn’t come till 10 minutes from half-time by means of Costa Rica’s 30-year-old Joel Campbell.
A dreary first half got here to a detailed with “Los Ticos” having had extra of the ball however neither aspect mustering a shot on the right track.
Moriyasu had seen sufficient and made a double change on the break, one in every of them the introduction of Bundesliga-based striker Takuma Asano, who scored the winner towards the Germans.
The Blue Samurai had been instantly extra reducing and midfielder Hidemasa Morita drew the primary correct save of the match inside seconds of the restart with a robust strike.
Moriyasu threw on Brighton attacker Kaoru Mitoma for a defender simply after the hour as Japan chased the victory that may put them on the cusp of the final 16.
It was all Japan because the match ticked into the final 20 minutes in entrance of 41,000 spectators.
Substitute Junya Ito appeared to have wriggled free and was closing on purpose, just for Costa Rica defender Francisco Calvo to cynically tug him again on the sting of the field, incomes a yellow card that might simply have been crimson.
Costa Rica had completed nothing for a lot of the sport as an attacking pressure, however 9 minutes from regular time they stole it when Fuller’s shot took a deflection and looped in.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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