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:
Croatia 0-0 Belgium
3 mins: Belgium are settling down after that early chance. A long ball is booted up the pitch and is beautifully brought down by Leandro Trossard.
He spins away from a challenge and looks to pick out Yannick Carrasco on the edge of the box but his pass gets intercepted.
Kick off: Croatia 0-0 Belgium
Croatia get the ball rolling in this crucial World Cup group stage outing. Whoever loses is likely to go home.
The ball comes over to Luka Modric who fires a long diagonal over to Ivan Perisic on the left side of the penalty area. Perisic brings the ball down, rolls it onto his right foot and blasts one wide of the far post!
Massive chance straightaway for Croatia!
Croatia vs Belgium
Here come the teams.
Luka Modric leads out Croatia with Kevin De Bruyne captaining Belgium after Eden Hazard was dropped to the bench. Belgium have never lost back-to-back matches under Roberto Martinez but if they do so tonight they’ll be out of the World Cup.
Modric’s last ride?
37-year-old Luka Modric is appearing in his fourth World Cup. The midfielder is a five-time Champions League winner and helped his country reach the World Cup final in Russia four years ago.
But, this could be his final outing in the World Cup if things don’t go well for Croatia today.
‘We’re too old’: Jan Vertonghen hits back at Kevin De Bruyne amid reports of Belgium bust-up
Veteran defender Jan Vertonghen has hit back at Kevin De Bruyne’s claim that Belgium are “too old” to win the World Cup, amid reports of a major dressing room bust-up following their chastening defeat at the hands of Morocco on Monday.
Belgium went down 2-0 to an impressive Morocco performance to leave themselves third in Group F with one game to play, a crucial showdown against group leaders Croatia.
Roberto Martinez’s side were the world’s No1 ranked side as recently as last year but their golden generation of talent is coming towards the end of its cycle and there is concern over the lack of suitable young replacements for stalwarts like the 35-year-old Vertonghen and his defensive partner Toby Alderweireld, 33.
‘We’re too old’: Jan Vertonghen hits back at Kevin De Bruyne amid Belgium bust-up
Reports suggest an altercation took place in the dressing room between senior players after Belgium’s disappointing defeat by Morocco
Croatia vs Belgium
Croatia have only lost two of their 10 meetings with fellow European nations at World Cups (W6, D2), with both of those coming against France (1998 semi-final, 2018 final).
Their only defeat in 18 matches in all competitions (W12, D5) was a 3-0 Nations League loss to Austria in June.
Croatia vs Belgium
The fans have made their way to the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium where one of these two teams is likely to get knocked out of the World Cup at the expense of the other.
Who will it be?
World Cup results: The scores so far from Qatar 2022
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.
The tournament is the first Fifa men’s World Cup to play out in the northern hemisphere’s winter, after it was moved from its original summer scheduling to combat Qatar’s intense heat.
Brazil came into tournament as the slight favourites to win the World Cup ahead of their South American rivals Argentina. The most fancied European nations at the start of the competition were England, Spain, France and Germany, with Belgium and Netherlands also considered dark horses. As the African champions, Senegal were considered Africa’s best hope of delivering a first World Cup for the continent.
The tournament has not been without controversy, from the mid-season scheduling which has seen a raft of injuries in the lead-up to kick-off, to the broader picture of Qatar’s exploitation of migrant workers in order to build the stadiums and infrastructure required to host the four-week event. Fifa president Gianni Infantino only added fuel to the fire when he gave his extraordinary pre-tournament speech, and what has followed has been vigorous debate around showing support for LGBTQ+ rights in a conservative Islamic country where homosexuality is illegal.
Despite the off-field issues, the players on the pitch have still served up an entertaining tournament, with goals, shocks, twists and turns.
Here are the results so far at World Cup 2022:
Group F permutations
Croatia are through if they win or draw against Belgium whilst Morocco are through if they win or draw against Canada.
Belgium will qualify for the last 16 with victory over Croatia and Canada can’t progress although they can win their first ever points on the World Cup stage.
‘The Golden Generation’ of Belgium will step up on World Cup stage
Belgium may not be weighed down by history – but that doesn’t make expectation levels any less hefty.
Roberto Martinez’s side have been the number one side in the world for most of the four years between the last World Cup in Russia and this tournament in Qatar.
They’ve also reached the last eight of every major tournament since 2014, but have yet to make a major final. Their third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup is, to date, the best achievement by a side who many would consider to be capable of so much more.
Their most recent brush with disappointment came at last year’s Euros, after an epic clash with Italy at Munich’s Allianz Arena. It’s a game that Belgian boss, Roberto Martinez, remains convinced could have gone either way.
Roberto Martinez: ‘The Golden Generation’ of Belgium will step up at World Cup
The Red Devils have the individual talent to make them the envy of many in Qatar but have so far flattered to deceive when it comes to the biggest moments at major tournaments
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