[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] Costa Rica, which suffered a 'crushing defeat' to Spain in the first match of the 2022 Qatar World Cup group stage, secured their first group stage victory by defeating Japan.
On the 27th, Costa Rica won 1-0 against Japan in the second match of Group E at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, thanks to a winning goal by Keylor Fuller.
Costa Rica, who lost 0-7 to Spain in the first match, is now tied with Japan (1 win, 1 loss) and Spain (1 win), who have yet to play their second match, with 3 points each. Germany, with 1 loss, remains at 0 points.
If Costa Rica had lost to Japan today, advancing to the round of 16 would have been nearly impossible, but now they can keep their hopes alive until the final third match.
This is the first time Costa Rica has beaten Japan, having previously been at a disadvantage with 1 draw and 3 losses in their historical A-match encounters.
Japan, who defeated Germany 2-1 in the first match, must prepare for their third match against Spain without adding any points.
Japan changed as many as five players from their starting lineup against Germany and faced Costa Rica, led by Antonio Contreras, with players like Ueda Ayase. However, the first half ended 0-0.
In the 13th minute of the first half, Doan Ritsu's cross from the right flank went just past the left goalpost, missing the opportunity, and Costa Rica's Joel Campbell's left-footed shot from outside the penalty box in the 35th minute also went wide to the right of the goal.
At the start of the second half, Japan substituted Nagatomo Yuto and Ueda with Takuma Asano and Ito Hiroki. Less than a minute into the second half, Morita Hidemasa's shot near the left side of the penalty arc was saved by Costa Rica's goalkeeper Keylor Navas, registering a valid shot.
However, the finishing was disappointing. In the 12th minute of the second half, Soma Yuki's right-footed shot, cutting into the penalty area from the left flank, did not curl properly, and five minutes later, Soma's free kick from the center of the penalty arc went over the goal.
In the 36th minute of the second half, Costa Rica intercepted a ball that a Japanese defender failed to clear properly and converted the opportunity into a goal. Fuller’s left-footed shot, following a pass from Yeltsin Tejeda, went straight into the net, securing the victory.
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