Costa Rica vs Germany summary: Costa Rica and Germany out, score, goals, highlights 2-4 | Qatar World Cup 2022
Costa Rica vs Germany: as it happened
FT: Costa Rica 2-4 Germany, I think!
And that's it!
Stéphanie Frappart blows the whistle...
GERMANY ARE OUT OF THE WORLD CUP AT THE GROUP STAGE FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE TIME
FT: Costa Rica 2-4 Germany
Full match report coming up...
I didn't have a headache before that, now I have twelve at once. There was a period when I fell off my seat, when I couldn't do anything other than stare at my hands and beg them to type, when all I could do was write AAAHHHHHHH.
So, the two games finished 2-4 and 2-1 , which means Germany are out.
They played a frantic game from start to finish, both in the positive and negative sense, letting Costa Rica into the next round and out of it, putting themselves within touching distance and then as far away as possible.
Costa Rica looked dead, buried and washed out to sea in the first 40 minutes, before they jumped up and made the European side that there were two teams on the pitch and not eleven red scarecrows.
What madness; football is madness; this World Cup is just...
Okey dokey! I think we are done here for the night. If anything major breaks in the meantime, you'll find out on en.as.com.
Thank you for joining me (Joe) for another calm night of serene whale noises and the light pitter patter of rain against the frosted window.
Surely we can't have any more madness tomorrow, I mean it's only *checks notes*... oh...
Ghana vs Uruguay,
South Korea vs Portugal,
Brazil vs Cameroon,
Serbia vs Switzerland.
We're still waiting for more from the German team and staff...
But here's Sofascore to keep you busy! Mmmm... statistics..... yum.
Thomas Müller post-match comments:
"It's an absolute disaster, I don't know what to say."
"Yes, this was my last game."
"I want to say something to the German fans: It has been a great pleasure. I have had great moments and I left my heart on the pitch in every match."
"I always did my best, even if we didn't get the best results."
READ ABOUT MÜLLER'S RETIREMENT DECISION HERE
Hansi Flick post-match commments
"We'll work out [whether he will stay or not] quickly, it's difficult to answer now right after the game when we're eliminated."
"We'll see about that soon”
Here's how it went...
I lost my mind somewhere around the 6th goal, I believe. I'm just about clawing it back from off the floor now as we speak.
Player report: Jamal Musiala
What did I call him during that game? A dolphin? A six-legged small boy? These are the things he makes my mind do when he touches a football. Jamal Musiala's World Cup may be over but his reputation has been enchanced by 500%: he is firmly within the top 2 best young players in Europe and he can have a dance-off with Pedri to decide the winner if he wants. But I wouldn't be too sure for the Spaniard's chances either, given Musiala's feet move faster than I can force myself to blink.
Musiala was electric tonight, skipping past every Costa Rica player with ease, going on delightfully insane runs inside the box and looking like he could score every time. He almost did: twice he smacked the post with a shot and I lost count of how many times I looked one way only for him to feint and go the other... Bayern Munich have got a serious player on their hands who has really and truly announced himself to the world.
Reports suggesting that Flick's future is not up for debate within the German FA
Raphael Honigstein of The Athletic has reported that "There’s no appetite for a managerial change within the German FA but he must do a lot better at the next attempt if he is to get another shot at a World Cup in 2026."
Here's the full quote:
Müller spoke to Das Erste after the game
BREAKING NEWS: MÜLLER RETIRES FROM GERMAN NATIONAL TEAM
"It was my last match", says Müller, "it was a great pleasure. We had great moments together."
Squawka says...
Well, that Niclas Füllkrug is quite effective off the bench, as is Kai Havertz
Sofascore shows it was Germany's to lose, and they nearly did!
And here's some Sofascore stats to munch on, too...
While we wait for the post-match reaction, here's Roddy with a lovely account of what we just saw.
For a brief moment, every German was Spanish
If only Spain got the goal, Germany could have been through.
Go and tell Will that the Germany game was mental.
Oh, he told you to come and tell me the same thing?
What a crazy game of football.
And Costa Rica could have won!
Musiala with a shot, saved by Keylor.
Twenty seconds to go.
We're into the last minute here.
And nobody can keep possession... nobody probably wants it.
The ground realises that the Spain game has finished and Germany are, well, out.
A mixture of shock and anger, which is quite a curious noise, like a hyena's household.
JAPAN 2-1 SPAIN. FINISHED.
We've got a couple of minutes left here...
Musiala (yeah, him again) finds himself away behind the defence. Salas clears.
Musiala links up beautifully with Sané inside the box and the youngster tries an overhead kick, but he misses the ball - which makes me feel good, because that small boy can do it all.
Halfway through added time... (there's been 7 added onto the Spain match)
Sule off for Ginter
Costa Rica do well to keep the ball and open wide to Bennette but he loses the ball down the right wing.
Navas saves a chance after the Costa Rica defence refuse to tackle Havertz, who hops, skips and jumps past the challenges.
10 minutes added on.
Sané was onside as he pushed a long ball across goal to Fullkrug who tapped into the net.
But Germany are still waiting on a goal from Spain which would see Japan drop out...
And it's given!
2-4
Hang on... VAR involved...
Nope! OFFISDE!
GOAL GERMANY!
And as I type that, Costa Rica steal the ball and go on the counter, but it's cut out.
Germany keep pushing...
So, right now, Spain are through with Japan on goal difference.
GERMANY HAVE SCORED
Havertz makes it three at the back post!
A ball from the right is met by the Chelsea forward and his taps in unmarked.
Musiala dances with the ball inwards from the left wing but his shot whizzes over the bar.
Close from Costa Rica!
Matarrita (one of the subs I missed in the madness) played a low cross in but Rudiger cleared.
Remember, Japan and Spain are through if it stays like this.
Rudiger with a match-saving challenge to stop Bennette from escaping away on his own.
Who would have thought we'd be this tense after watching the first half?
Ten minutes to go.
I have aged 10 years.
Costa Rica attack down the right...
Bennette shoots over the bar
Another Germany corner, number 14...
cleared.
RUDIGER HEADS JUST WIDE
Costa Rica now with an attack...
nope, it's Germany...
Waston with a fantastic challenge to take the ball from Havertz inside the box!
Please forgive my lack of smooth commentary, this game has no structure. It is pure madness.
We are all going to need a good lie down when it's over.
WHAT A SAVE FROM KEYLOR NAVAS WITH HIS FACE
FULLKRUG MISSED FROM ONE YARD OUT.
Multiple chances for Costa Rica!
Nobody knows how to play football anymore!
Ok, so right now, Japan and Spain are going through, Germany are bottom and Costa Rica are third.
There have been substitutes for Costa Rica, but you will excuse me for not quite catching their names.
Havertz scored with a shot from inside the box!!
GERMANY GOAL!!!!!!!!
OH MY THE FOOTBALL
VAR CHECKS....
AND IT IS GIVEN
THE FREE KICK IS HIT TO THE FAR POST AND THE REBOUND IS CLATTERED IN BY VARGAS
BUILD HIM A STATUE
GOOOOOOOOOOAAAALALLLLLLLLLLL AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH COSTA RICA HAVE SCORED
COSTA RICA ARE GOING THORUGH
Venegas is down injured. Costa Rica have a free kick out on the left, ready to be crossed in
Havertz spoons a shot miles over from inside the box.
MUSIALA HITS THE POST AGAIN
Navas was beaten. Musiala's shot was fiercely hit from the left side.
Oooo!! Costa Rica go close to finding a one on one with Fuller and Neuer, but Campbell's pass is too heavy.
Havertz and Götze on for Müller and Raum
Costa Rica are back to sitting in their defensive shape.
Raum fires a cross from the left but nobody makes contact.
Rudiger goes close from a low cross! Inches wide!
Another Costa Rica goal would see both Germany and Spain go out!
Muller with a shot that flies high and wide, Germany piling back on the pressure. They have no other choice.
MUSIALA OFF THE POST
He hits a bobbling shot from the left channel that smacks the post.
A BALL FROM CAMPBELL FINDS FULLER DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE WHO CROSSES TO WASTON.
THE HEADER REBOUNDS TO TEJEDA AND HE SMASHES IT IN THE NET.
THE STADIUM IS SILENT NO MORE!!!
1-1
GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
CCOOOOOSSTTAA RRIIIIICCAAAAAAA
TEJEDA WITH THE GOAL
TEJEDA SCORES
Fullkrug on for Gundogan
The stadium is silent.
Sané shoots high and wide from the edge of the box.
Germany are out on goal difference as it stands, 6 behind.
Much more of a contest in midfield now...
Muller blocks a shot from Fuller! Close!
Half chance for the Central Americans as the ball is whipped in but Rudiger gets a head on it to clear.
This game has lost it's fizz right now, and that's down to Costa Rica, who have come out with a lot more confidence to play against Germany rather than stand off them.
Ojo, it's 1-1 now in the Japan vs Spain game.
JAPAN ARE GOING THROUGH AS IT STANDS
Costa Rica jump straight back into their 5-4-1 low block and Germany start to move the ball in a horseshoe shape around it.
And we're off! (really, this time)
No we're not.
Kick off taken 3 times.
And we're off!
Klostermann on for Goretzka
Salas on for Aguilera
We're ready to go again!
More Musiala equals more happiness
(and more goals, which also equals happiness)
...I still can't think of anything that rhymes with OptaFranz...
I told you he's been good
Just take a look at those stats...
Costa Rica stats
Possession: 29% (Germany 71%)
Possession lost in defensive half: 36 times
Passes in opponent's half: 62 (Germany 302)
Passing accuracy in final third: 46% (Germany 80%)
Shots: 1 (Germany 12)
Clearances: 18 (Germany 1)
And yet, it's only 0-1
Aaaand that's all for now!
HT: Costa Rica 0-1 Germany
Wait, it's only one nil?
Yes, there is, incredibly, only one single goal that separates the two teams. But it could be 5, 6 or more. Germany had Costa Rica not only against the ropes but their gloves and clothes and hair had all fallen off, too. It looked like the Central Americans were going to break all sorts of negative records and Benzema was going to parachute down into the centre circle to award Jamal Musiala his Ballon d'Or.
But, football is never as straight forward as it seems (OK, the 7-0 vs Spain kind of was) and somehow Costa Rica rode the punches and managed a few body shots of their own.
I suppose, and it feels crazy to say, it's all to play for in the second half. Germany can't afford to switch off like they did at the back and Costa Rica will know that a couple of goals in both matches is all it takes for things to take a drastic turn, so let's not call for a TKO just yet...
Corner to Germany...
cleared.
One minute added.
Last minute of the half now. It had been a baño - a battering - until the last few minutes. But Costa Rica have woken up, it seems, just as Germany have gone to sleep.
Sané shoots over.
Costa Rica come close again!
Sule with the mistake this time, as he swings a careless boot at a cross from the left. Ojo.
SO CLOSE FROM FULLER!!!
Rudiger makes a shocking error in the 'clearance' and leaves Fuller one on one with Neuer, but he blasts his shot over the bar. Raum had given the ball up with a pass that smelled of complacency, something the Germans don't need. It's only 0-1.
GNABRY GOES CLOSE
A wonderful effort with his right from from the left side of the box whizzes just past the far post.
A Mexican wave has started and tonight has just got a lot worse for those fans already upset in the stands.
Poor Joel Campbell up front looks like a lost lamb who's wandered away just too far from his mum.
MUSIALA HUGE CHANCE
He gets the ball on the left after appearing out from his cloak of invisibility, spins like a dolphin into the six-yard box, but his chance at a shot is snatched away by Duarte.
Ten minutes to go. That equals about 3 weeks for the Central American side.
A shot from Kimmich nearly escapes Keylor Navas's grasp!
Costa Rica are playing lower than an oboe and Germany are just playing pinball in and around their defensive blob.
A bit of back and forth to the game now - yes, really - but Germany looking about 500 times more dangerous.
Spain are currently 1-0 against Japan .
Goalscoring machine Morata with the strike.
Spain - 7 points
Germany - 4
Japan -3
Costa Rica -3
Half a chance for Costa Rica!
A cross from Oviedo on the left almost meets Joel Campbell, but he falls over.
His first touch completely takes out a whole squabble of Costa Rican players who had surrounded him in a feeble attempt to stop him doing what he ultimately acheived. The ball is rolled left from Musiala to Raum, but the defender is offside.
Does Musiala have 6 legs? How does he dribble like that?
Navas has to come charging out of his box to stop an easy ball for Muller after a defensive mistake from Costa Rica. They are bunch of nervous nellies, right now. And I don't blame them.
Germany go close again. Musiala and Gnabry link up on the edge of the box but it's stabbed away.
Costa Rica try to attack down the left, but they only get to halfway before it breaks down.
CHANCE FOR GERMANY
Gnabry receives on the left and plays a ball into the box, but it's cleared for a corner.
Wow, a header completely missed by Duarte at the back, and Muller is held back by Vargas. If not, he would have been in.
Costa Rica have a corner!
Nope, offside called in the build up.
Germany have had 77% possession so far and I am surprised it's only that, to be honest.
It's like the pitch is on a hillside and the ball can only roll left.
Costa Rica can't do anything at all. This is relentless beyond belief.
SAVE OFF THE LINE FROM NAVAS
The ball comes in from the right and Müller meets it with a header; Navas does well to get down to the ball.
Costa Rica are simply not participating in the game.
As it stands, Germany are through:
- 5
-4
- 4
- 3
We're 10 minutes in, and it sounds silly to say so early on, but that was coming. Whiffs of Spain 7-0 about this so far... eek.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL FOR GERMANY
IT WAS SO EASY
GNABRY HEADER.
0-1
Musiala (obviously) steals the ball and makes a run down the left channel before opening wide to Raum, whose cross is easily met by an unmarked Gnabry in the box. Costa Rica look shellshocked.
CHANCE! AGAIN! Am I going to write anything else?
A free header for Muller bounces wide.
MU-SI-A-LA WHAT A PLAYER. HE GOES SO CLOSE AGAIN.
Like an oil-covered ferret he weaves through impossibly small gaps between players before having the ball somehow poked away.
Cor, blimey. Germany aren't taking any prisoners tonight. They come piling forward again and win a corner. It's like they have 15 players.
SO CLOSE AGAIN FROM GERMANY
Ah, it was offside. Gnabry was just ahead of the defence on the left after the boy Musiala slid him in.
CHANCE! MUSIALA!
A shot from the edge of the box flies towards Navas after a long spell of possession from Germany. Well saved...
And history is made as Stéphanie Frappart blows the whistle to kick off the game!
Costa Rica in red shirts, blue shorts and red socks; Germany in all white. The Europeans kick us off from right to left.
Let's go!
I'll keep you updated with Japan vs Spain at all time too, but here's the link if you want it.
The players come out of the tunnel... time for the national anthems!
Costa Rica : a very happy number, well sung by all the players and fans. Lovely stuff. I'm in an even better mood now after that.
Germany : a much more serious sounding tune, not like the energetic Costa Rica effort. A bit church hymn-y for me. But well sung nonetheless.
Time for the football!
OK, the countdown to kick-off is nearly over - this is a big one!
The teams are in the changing rooms and we've got the light show in full force!
The stands are filling up nicely and the players are out on the pitch...
The warmups have begun!
Today is a special day for two German players
A record for Neuer... and one for Sané too!
Here's some reason to hope for Germany fans
Is Musiala the young player of the tournament so far?
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A bit of news from the World Cup, as Roberto Martínez has left his post as Belgium manager. Here's Roddy with the latest:
OptaFranz with the... what rhymes with Franz?
Best just to read the tweet and not my caption. They've gone with NEUERecord, which is cute.
Player to watch: David Raum
No it's not, it's Jamal Musiala. Obviously it's him. The ex-Southampton (no, I didn't know either) player is a bit of a handyman on the pitch: he does all the jobs.
His dribbling is perhaps unmatched by any youngster in Europe as well as his attacking nous; against Japan he completed just one dribble, according to our friends at Sofascore, but that was a ludicrous mazy run past four defenders inside the box, almost culminating in the goal of the century.
If Germany are to get anything out of tonight, it's going to come from the toes of Musiala, who will no doubt find a way to contribute to his team's attacking game.
Confirmation of the Costa Rica lineup:
Costa Rica go full strength for tonight's do-or-die clash!
Costa Rica starting XI: 5-2-3
Navas
Fuller - Duarte - Waston - Vargas - Oviedo
Borges - Tejeda
Aguilera - Venegas - Campbell
Costa Rica are in the buidling!
Still no news of a starting XI just yet, but when we know, you'll know!
We have the Germany XI!
It's a very strong lineup from Hansi Flick... but no Niclas Füllkrug
Germany are in the stadium; team coming up shortly.
It is a lovely stadium, the Al Bayt.
All the football, all the time - does it ever stop?
The question is - does anyone want it to?
Not me. Lucky for us all, Will is covering Japan vs Spain on the other side, so if you happen to be part chameleon and can move both eyes independently of each other, read everything simultaneously as the news comes in.
If you're not, just flick between them. That's what I'd do.
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And there is another incredible reason today that makes the game a genuinely historic occasion: it is the first time a World Cup match will have a fully female referee team.
Stéphanie Frappart, Neuza Back and Karen Diaz make up the trio of officials that will take charge of tonight's game.
Frappart became the first female referee to officiate a World Cup match when she featured as the fourth-official in Mexico vs Poland.
In 2019, she oversaw the European Super Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea; the following season she made her Champions League debut when Juventus faced Dynamo Kiev before officiating Real Madrid's clash against Celtic at the Bernabéu.
Here's Calum's delightful explainer on all the group - favourite word coming up - permuatations
Here's how the group looks:
Basically, it's pretty bleak for Die Mannschaft.
Today's game has the making of being an exceptionally exciting affair, with both Germany and Costa Rica (especially Germany) needing to get points to go through!
Germany depend on other results to go through, so let's take a look at those before we move on:
Germany win: that would mean they would have 4 points, which only sees them through if Japan don't beat Spain.
Germany draw: They're out.
Germany lose: See above.
Goooood morning/afternoon/evening!
It's Joe here again and I'm going to be taking you through all the action at the Al Bayt Stadium - it's Costa Rica vs Germany!