Despite ending Group E with a 4-2 win over Costa Rica, Germany have failed to reach the knockout stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup after Japan beat Spain 2-1. Serge Gnabry’s early opener (10’) had Hansi Flick’s side ahead at the break, but the underdogs turned the game around through Yeltsin Tejeda (58’) and Juan Pablo Vargas (70’). A late flurry of goals from substitutes Kai Havertz (73’, 85’) and Niclas Füllkrug (89’) ensured Germany got the three points in the end, but the result in the group’s other game made it redundant.
Germany started strongly and Jamal Musiala tested Keylor Navas in the Costa Rica goal after just two minutes. The pressure didn’t ease up, with the Central Americans pinned back inside their own defensive third. Musiala was a constant threat and a wonderful dribble past four or five defenders in the seventh minute was only lacking the finish. Thomas Müller also had a header fly wide of the target (8’).
Raum finds Gnabry
The opening goal wasn’t far behind. David Raum picked out Gnabry on the six-yard line with a cross from the left and the Bayern forward beat Navas with a header into far corner. Germany didn’t let up after making it 1-0 and the next header came in the 14th minute, this time with the PSG goalkeeper able to get two hands behind Leon Goretzka’s effort (14’).
Costa Rica’s first dangerous foray forward came in the 28th minute, although Joel Campbell wasn’t able to cause Manuel Neuer any problems, only just unable to get on the end of a cross. Germany continued to probe for more goals down the other end. Gnabry had a shot in the box blocked (30’), Joshua Kimmich tested Navas with a ferocious shot from range (34’) and Musiala created some shooting space with yet another brilliant dribble, but again couldn’t find the target (36’).
Gnabry was inches away from doubling the lead shortly before the interval with a wonderful curling shot (40’), although it could in fact have been level at the break if not for a brilliant save from Manuel Neuer in his record-breaking 19th World Cup appearance to deny Keysher Fuller from point-blank range after a mistake in defence (42’).
Costa Rica turn it around
Flick made a change at half time, bringing on Lukas Klostermann at right-back for Goretzka, who had picked up a knock, meaning Kimmich returned to midfield. The ‘Ticos’ were looking more handy after the change of ends, and with Japan equalising against Spain elsewhere, Hansi Flick brought on Niclas Füllkrug for Ilkay Gündogan in the 55th minute to add firepower.
However, the change had the opposite effect. Neuer was only able to parry a header following a Costa Rica breakaway, and Yeltsin Tejeda followed in to bury the rebound and level the scores. Germany tried to respond quickly and both Musiala and Antonio Rüdiger hit the post in quick succession around the hour mark.
Havertz and Füllkrug secure victory
Flick made more attacking changes, replacing Raum and Müller with Mario Götze and Kai Havertz. The rub of the green still wasn’t with the DFB-Team though, with Musiala again only finding the woodwork with a venomous left-footed shot (67’). Things then went from bad to worse when a free-kick caused havoc in the box and Juan Pablo Vargas was able to stab the ball home to make it 2-1 to Costa Rica.
Germany had to throw everything forward for the final 20 minutes to have any hope of progression, and they only trailed for two minutes, with Füllkrug setting up fellow sub Havertz to make it 2-2. A third Germany goal didn’t look far behind and would have come in the 76th minute already if not for a sensational Navas save to deny Füllkrug from close range. With five minutes to go, Havertz struck again to complete the turnaround for Germany, and Füllkrug also had an easy finish after Sané’s chest down in the box to wrap up a 4-2 win in the final minute of normal time. Nevertheless, Spain’s defeat to Japan meant the win wasn’t enough to move Germany into the top two, spelling a second consecutive group-stage exit at the World Cup for the four-time winners.
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Despite ending Group E with a 4-2 win over Costa Rica, Germany have failed to reach the knockout stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup after Japan beat Spain 2-1. Serge Gnabry’s early opener (10’) had Hansi Flick’s side ahead at the break, but the underdogs turned the game around through Yeltsin Tejeda (58’) and Juan Pablo Vargas (70’). A late flurry of goals from substitutes Kai Havertz (73’, 85’) and Niclas Füllkrug (89’) ensured Germany got the three points in the end, but the result in the group’s other game made it redundant.
Germany started strongly and Jamal Musiala tested Keylor Navas in the Costa Rica goal after just two minutes. The pressure didn’t ease up, with the Central Americans pinned back inside their own defensive third. Musiala was a constant threat and a wonderful dribble past four or five defenders in the seventh minute was only lacking the finish. Thomas Müller also had a header fly wide of the target (8’).
Raum finds Gnabry
The opening goal wasn’t far behind. David Raum picked out Gnabry on the six-yard line with a cross from the left and the Bayern forward beat Navas with a header into far corner. Germany didn’t let up after making it 1-0 and the next header came in the 14th minute, this time with the PSG goalkeeper able to get two hands behind Leon Goretzka’s effort (14’).
Costa Rica’s first dangerous foray forward came in the 28th minute, although Joel Campbell wasn’t able to cause Manuel Neuer any problems, only just unable to get on the end of a cross. Germany continued to probe for more goals down the other end. Gnabry had a shot in the box blocked (30’), Joshua Kimmich tested Navas with a ferocious shot from range (34’) and Musiala created some shooting space with yet another brilliant dribble, but again couldn’t find the target (36’).
Gnabry was inches away from doubling the lead shortly before the interval with a wonderful curling shot (40’), although it could in fact have been level at the break if not for a brilliant save from Manuel Neuer in his record-breaking 19th World Cup appearance to deny Keysher Fuller from point-blank range after a mistake in defence (42’).
Costa Rica turn it around
Flick made a change at half time, bringing on Lukas Klostermann at right-back for Goretzka, who had picked up a knock, meaning Kimmich returned to midfield. The ‘Ticos’ were looking more handy after the change of ends, and with Japan equalising against Spain elsewhere, Hansi Flick brought on Niclas Füllkrug for Ilkay Gündogan in the 55th minute to add firepower.
However, the change had the opposite effect. Neuer was only able to parry a header following a Costa Rica breakaway, and Yeltsin Tejeda followed in to bury the rebound and level the scores. Germany tried to respond quickly and both Musiala and Antonio Rüdiger hit the post in quick succession around the hour mark.
Havertz and Füllkrug secure victory
Flick made more attacking changes, replacing Raum and Müller with Mario Götze and Kai Havertz. The rub of the green still wasn’t with the DFB-Team though, with Musiala again only finding the woodwork with a venomous left-footed shot (67’). Things then went from bad to worse when a free-kick caused havoc in the box and Juan Pablo Vargas was able to stab the ball home to make it 2-1 to Costa Rica.
Germany had to throw everything forward for the final 20 minutes to have any hope of progression, and they only trailed for two minutes, with Füllkrug setting up fellow sub Havertz to make it 2-2. A third Germany goal didn’t look far behind and would have come in the 76th minute already if not for a sensational Navas save to deny Füllkrug from close range. With five minutes to go, Havertz struck again to complete the turnaround for Germany, and Füllkrug also had an easy finish after Sané’s chest down in the box to wrap up a 4-2 win in the final minute of normal time. Nevertheless, Spain’s defeat to Japan meant the win wasn’t enough to move Germany into the top two, spelling a second consecutive group-stage exit at the World Cup for the four-time winners.
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