DOHA —
Luis Fernando Suarez said his Costa Rica team were “still very much alive” at
the World Cup after a 1–0 win over Japan on Sunday blew Group E wide open — and
handed a potential lifeline to Germany.
اضافة اعلان
Japan, who
shocked four-time champions Germany 2–1 in their opener in Qatar, would have
taken a giant stride towards the last 16 with a win.
Instead they
labored in the first half against a Costa Rica side who were hammered 7–0 by
Spain, then defender Keysher Fuller scored in the 81st minute with a deflected
strike on the counterattack.
It was Costa
Rica’s first shot on target at this World Cup and left them, leaders Spain and
Japan all on three points. Spain face Germany later Sunday in a group widely
seen as the toughest at the tournament.
“These players
did amazing things today. I will not talk about technique or tactics. Today I
need to value and appreciate what they have done to get this win,” said Suarez,
whose side meets
Germany on Thursday.
“We weren’t dead
yesterday and now we are still very much alive. Nobody can forget about us yet
so we can still dream.”
“People thought
we were already out but we are in this together.”
Shock end
Japan made five changes to the team which stunned Germany as coach
Hajime Moriyasu made full use of his 26-man squad.
In temperatures
of 32°C at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Japan immediately went on the attack and won
a corner within 30 seconds.
Suarez made just
two changes to the team thumped by Spain, Gerson Torres and 34-year-old
center-back Kendall Waston taking their places in an ageing XI which featured
four players from the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals.
But Japan’s
early promise melted in the Doha sun and the first shot at goal — a tame effort
which sailed high and wide — did not come until 10 minutes from half-time
through Costa Rica’s Joel Campbell.
A dreary first
half came to a close with “Los Ticos” having had more of the ball but neither
side mustering a shot on target.
Moriyasu had
seen enough and made a double change at the break, one of them the introduction
of Bundesliga-based striker Takuma Asano, who scored the winner against the
Germans.
The
Blue Samurai were immediately more incisive and midfielder Hidemasa Morita drew the first
proper save of the match within seconds of the restart.
It was all Japan
as the match ticked into the last 10 minutes in front of 41,000 spectators.
Costa Rica had done
nothing for most of the game as an attacking force, but nine minutes from the
end of normal time they stole it when Fuller’s shot took a deflection and
looped in.
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