The bottom two teams of World Cup 2022 Group E will be fighting for qualification on Thursday when Costa Rica tackle Germany at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Hansi Flick's team fought until the end to salvage the team from a 1-1,1 draw against Spain the last time they played in the tournament, while Los Ticos kept their hopes of qualifying for the last 16 by defeating Japan by a score of 1-0.
Not letting the seven goals of destruction they endured in the face of Spain be a hindrance, Costa Rica dusted themselves down to face an Japan team that had gotten over Germany just four days prior but this time it would be the Asian nation that would be humiliated this time around.
A 81st-minute goal of Keysher Fuller did hit the glove of Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda However, Fuller was unable to stop the ball roll through the goal's top corner, triggering a jubilant celebration for the Costa Ricans their fate is now at their fingertips again.
The team is currently third with three points third place - equal to second-placed Japan and just one point ahead of Spain prior to their first-of-the-table match - Costa Rica will progress to the knockout stages only three times in the history of their country thanks to a victories against Germany during this weekend's,report by top 10 trusted online casino malaysia.
A draw could also be sufficient in the case of Luis Fernando Suarez's team in the event that Spain defeat Japan which has a score of zero is greater than the -6 of Costa Rica - but defeat would guarantee that they will not repeat their quarter-final place in 2014 or their last-16 exit in 1990.
The 2014 tournament was the first time Costa Rica managed to win consecutive World Cup games, and even though six players from the current crop were present in the finals when Los Ticos secured a famous victory by 1-0 against Italy in 2008, aging veterans will be facing a new kind of challenge this week.
German stomachs exploded after Alvaro Morata's near-post shot made its way to the the goal for Spain on Sunday night and those 2013 World Cup winners staring down the barrel of a disastrous early loss on the biggest stage of football.
After being allowed to show his stuff at the ninth position via Flick, Werder Bremen talisman Niclas Fullkrug scored a blistering goal in the 83rd minutes to secure what could prove to be a crucial goal in the game for Die Mannschaft, who also experienced an Antonio Rudiger goal disallowed due to offside in the game.
A win is enough for Germany If they want to climb in the top 2 spots on Thursday. A victory for Flick's team, paired with the possibility of a Spain victory over Japan will see the bottom side with just one point will go to the final 16.
However should Spain and Japan drawn game, Germany would need to beat Japan by at minimum two goals to move Japan into second position If Hajime Moriyasu's team are able to secure a shocking victory against La Roja, then Flick's players will require an eight-goal win towards their side to take down Spain.
Two wins out of 10 wins in all tournaments isn't the kind of record that can inspire confidence in the Mannschaft group ahead of an important match, where either a draw or a loss would be a sign of a dreadful day for Germany to consecutive group-stage exits to begin their long record. Flick may also be one of the very few Germany manager in the history of football to not win any of his three initial World Cup games, but Die Mannschaft did run out 4-2 winners in their one match against Costa Rica, which came in the 2006 World Cup.
