Costa Rica 2-4 Germany
Thursday night in the Al Bayt Stadium and a date with destiny for four-times world champions Germany.
This was actually a meeting between the bottom two sides in Group E and the Germans were bottom.
Surely, they would not bow out of the World Cup 2022 at the group stage for the second successive tournament? Surely Hansi Flick would not become the first Germany manager in history to fail to win any of his first three World Cup games?
Standing in their way, Costa Rica who had bounced back from a 7-0 rout to Spain – the heaviest scoreline in the competition to date – by overcoming Japan.
But could the defence-heavy Ticos side really stun the Mannschaft?
Highlights of the game
Even a German success was no guarantee of progress, in fact it crossed this SBOTOP writer’s mind that Spain could draw or even lose narrowly to Japan without too much damage to themselves.
For such a result against the Samurai Blue would mean they would still qualify and potentially see the Germans on their way home, therefore eliminating one of their rivals for the world crown.
However, unlike a German game at the World Cup some 40 years ago and a contest described as the ‘Disgrace of Gijon’, I always thought professional pride would be upheld and, simply, that they would not take that risk.
Oh, the irony if that had happened.
On that occasion, incidentally, Algeria would have become the first African team to reach the second round unless a final group stage game, ended in a one- or two-goal win for West Germany over Austria, in which case both the European teams would progress at Algeria’s expense.
In the 10th minute of that match Horst Hrubesch put the Germans in front. Then … nothing happened. Realising the scoreline suited both of them, Germany and Austria effectively stopped playing. In the ensuing 80 minutes there were no shots, and barely any tackles, crosses or sprints. The game was no longer a contest, it was a conspiracy. The teams’ cynicism provoked universal scorn.
Back to the current day and Costa Rica had their own incentive, of course, and knew they would progress to the knockout stages for just the third time in their history with victory of their own.
A draw would also have sufficed for Luis Fernando Suarez’s men if Spain overcame Japan.
In the end, though, the law of averages suggested Die Mannschaft – who ran out 4-2 winners in their only previous clash with Costa Rica at the 2006 World Cup on home soil – would triumph and end a paltry two wins from 10 in all tournaments.
This was now or never for Germany and there was no way they were going to allow themselves to be consigned to successive group-stage exits for the first time in their illustrious history.
In that Spain match, the introduction of Leroy Sane had been important and the Bayern Munich man was handed a starting place after recovering from a knee problem.
The pattern was set from the off and experienced goalkeeper Keylor Navas twice had to keep out efforts inside the opening four minutes, while Thomas Muller headed wide.
Camped deep, Costa Rica were going to have to absorb a hell of a lot of pressure but they were breached within 10 minutes as David Raum found space down the left and crossed for Serge Gnabry who expertly guided his header across goal into the far corner.
Only a superb stop from Navas again denied Leon Goretzka as Germany showed no let-up, much of their play influenced by 19 year-old Jamal Musiala, who Flick must be delighted opted to play for them ahead of England, who he represented up to under-21 level.
The creative attacking midfielder threatened to be the main fulcrum of most German World Cup highlights as Costa Rica, with three wins from their last six games across all competitions, attempted to attack on the break.
The realty is they were pegged back for long spells and there appeared a degree of inevitability they would be breached again with Musiala and Gnabry going close.
Amazingly, despite not having a glimpse, Costa Rica should have been level four minutes before the break as Manuel Neuer superbly tipped over a Keysher Fuller piledriver after Antonio Rudiger hesitated on the edge of the box.
After such a one-sided half, the World Cup betting odds were only in one direction so what followed in the second period was scarcely credible.
After Neuer stopped Kendall Waston’s effort, Yeltsin Tejeda was on hand to force home the equaliser.
Yet that only told half the story because, elsewhere, two goals in 142 seconds had seen Japan overturn a half-time deficit against Spain.
Germany not only now needed to go back in front but for the Spanish to equalise.
It wasn’t for a lack of effort as they hit the same post three times in quick succession.
It was Musiala twice, the first time via a fine touch from Navas, before Rudiger hit the woodwork for a third time.
There was another twist when, for three minutes, Costa Rica dared to dream as Juan Pablo Vargas put them in front in a scrappy way, off the knee of Rudiger and, briefly, the Group E table had both Germany and Spain heading out.
Then substitute Kai Havertz showed composure when it was needed the most as he controlled a cross from fellow sub Niclas Fullkrug and dinked the ball over Navas.
The same player denied Fullkrug as Germany chased a winner and they got it when Havertz tapped in a teasing Gnabry cross.
There was a minute remaining when Fullkrug finally did get on the scoresheet but events in Al Rayyan (and we haven’t heard the end of that as Japan’s winner was controversial) meant it was futile.
Key statistics
This match featured an all-female refereeing team at a men’s World Cup for the first time.
This was Neuer’s 19th appearance at the World Cup, becoming the goalkeeper with the outright most appearances in the history of the competition.
Havertz is the second German player to score a brace as a sub at the World Cup after Andre Schürrle in 2014 v Brazil.
Costa Rica have won consecutive World Cup games only once, which came during the 2014 World Cup.
What’s next?
It’s the knockout stages but neither Germany nor Costa Rica will be there.
In the last 16, Japan face 2018 finalists Croatia on Monday (December 5).
Spain are not in action until the following day as they meet the nation that surprisingly knocked Belgium out, Morocco.
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