Japan might seal their spot within the Spherical of 16 in the event that they defeat Costa Rica, who misplaced 7-0 to Spain of their first recreation.
Who: Japan vs Costa Rica, Group E
The place: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Doha, Qatar
When: 7pm (10pm GMT)
Japan and Costa Rica started their World Cup campaigns in contrasting vogue.
The Blue Samurai got here again from behind to defeat 2014 champions Germany 2-1 in arguably the best second of the Asian nation’s footballing historical past.
Costa Rica, in the meantime, misplaced 7-0 to Spain. It was the joint largest loss of their historical past and their worst within the World Cup. A defeat had been anticipated however not a drubbing of this nature.
These opening fixtures fully modified the complexion of this tie. Japan will enter the sport realizing {that a} win will safe qualification to the following spherical whereas Costa Rica are enjoying to win again delight.
Up to now few World Cups, Japan have been the “nearly crew”. In 2018, they obtained out of a difficult group that includes Senegal, Poland, and Colombia and fell 3-2 to Belgium in a Spherical of 16 recreation that they’d been main 2-0. In 2010, they reached the Spherical of 16 earlier than agonisingly going out on penalties to Paraguay.
Whereas their defeat of Germany despatched shockwaves throughout the nation, it’s value noting that this Japan facet has defeated USA, Ghana, Australia, South Korea and Saudi Arabia on this calendar yr.
Japan left their dressing room spotless after the unimaginable World Cup win over Germany. Sensible! 👏🏻🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/4UR4YVAugn
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) November 23, 2022
Costa Rica have taken the adage “don’t repair what isn’t damaged” far too significantly. Six of the gamers who have been a part of the 2014 World Cup squad that reached the quarterfinal are in Qatar. 5 of them began in opposition to Spain. None of them is beneath the age of 30 and which may be displaying on the pitch.
Keylor Navas, among the best goalkeepers on this planet at one level, regarded hapless in opposition to Spain and will do nothing to cease the onslaught. Navas and the remainder of the Costa Rican crew must dig deep in opposition to Japan to keep away from struggling the identical destiny.
Type and historical past don’t appear to be on Costa Rica’s facet; the 2 sides have met twice earlier than, with Japan successful each instances.
