No joy for Japan as they slump to defeat by Costa Rica

AL RAYYAN, Qatar: They had left it late to shock fancied Germany but it was Japan who were given a taste of their own medicine on Sunday (Nov 27).

A late goal from Keysher Fuller - Costa Rica’s first shot on target at the World Cup - saw them take a 1-0 victory in a tepid game of football played under the baking afternoon sun at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan.

The result blows the group wide open with Japan, Costa Rica and Spain now on three points. Germany will face Spain in Sunday’s late kickoff.

Japan will next take on Spain on Thursday, while Costa Rica will play Germany.

After the euphoria of their upset against Germany, the Japan team looked disjointed in a first half where neither side registered a shot on target.

Head coach Hajime Moriyasu made five changes from the side that stunned the Germans 2-1, with Miki Yamane, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan, Yuki Soma, and Ayase Ueda coming in for Hiroki Sakai, Ao Tanaka, Takefusa Kubo, Junya Ito and Daizen Maeda.

But it was a poor Japanese performance in the first 45 minutes.

While the Samurai Blue tried to be patient in possession in order to unlock their opponents’ defence, they were more ponderous than penetrative.

And the closest they would come in the first 20 minutes was a delicious Doan cross which nobody was on the end of.

Costa Rica, who were thumped 7-0 by Spain in their World Cup opener, grew in confidence as the half wore on but struggled to make attacking inroads.

Moriyasu had said before the tournament that the goal for Japan was to get beyond the last 16. 

Japan reached the knockout stages at the 2018 World Cup, but were eliminated in heartbreaking fashion by Belgium after going 2-0 up, only to lose 3-2.

In a second half markedly better than the first, Japan