Germany eliminated in World Cup 2022
Germany has experienced all kinds of emotions at Al Bayt Stadium. They went ahead in the 10th minute, and faced the opportunity to continue when Spain led Japan with the same score in the match at the same time. But at the beginning of the second half, both giants of European football conceded consecutively and were led back 1-2. This result leaves Germany and Spain out.
It was not until the end of the second half, with the appearance of Kai Havertz, that Germany could turn the tide. But the 4-2 victory only helped Spain go on, but could not save the fate of the "Tank" at the 2022 World Cup. Same four points, but Germany ranked behind Spain because of the difference (+1 vs. +6). Japan is at the top with six points thanks to two shock victories over Germany and Spain, while Costa Rica is at the bottom of the table with three points.
Thus, Germany could not qualify for the group stage in two consecutive World Cups. In Russia four years ago, Germany - then led by Joachim Low - even ranked last, behind South Korea, Mexico and Sweden. Previously, Germany had always made it past the group stage in 16 consecutive World Cups since 1954.
Entering the game with a must-win mentality to keep the hope of going forward, Germany pressed Costa Rica from the very beginning. In the 9th minute, Joshua Kimmich crossed from the right to Thomas Muller's header to miss the post. A minute later, they advanced in a similar arrangement. A David Raum cross from the left flank, Serge Gnabry headed the ball into the far corner, out of reach of goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
A few minutes later, in the match at the same time, Spain opened the scoring against Japan thanks to Alvaro Morata's header. With this result, the two European powers will win the right to continue.
Germany continued to control the game and create opportunities afterwards, thanks to the dynamism of the young players up front. In the first 15 minutes, they finished a total of five times, controlling the ball more than 70%. However, Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala or Gnabry all missed.
Similar to the opening match against Japan, despite playing on foot, the German defense still had slight openings, causing Manuel Neuer's goal to be put on alert. In the 42nd minute, left-back David Raum and defender Antonio Rudiger repeatedly missed, creating conditions for Keysher Fuller to escape into the void. In the face-to-face, the Costa Rican winger fired a tight shot, but was denied by Neuer's fingertips.
This warning does not seem to be enough to wake Germany up. 58 minutes, from the cross on the right, Kendall Watson headed in and was saved by Neuer. But the ball bounced off just right for Yeltsin Tejeda to kick back from a distance of only a few meters.
At the same time, at Khalifa Stadium, Japan caused shock when leading Spain 2-1. Everything felt like it was against Germany at the same time. From the 62nd to 67th minutes, Rudiger and Musiala even hit the Costa Rica column three times in a row. In the 70th minute, from a messy ball in the German penalty area, midfielder Juan Pablo Vargas leaned forward to touch the ball. Goalkeeper Neuer prevented it, but the ball fell and hit the foot of the Costa Rican player who went into the goal.
Only when cornered, Germany resisted and created suffocating pressure like the beginning of the match. In the 73rd minute, from the wall phase of Niclas Fullkrug, the substitute Kai Havertz entered the penalty area and then hit the ball diagonally to lower Navas. More than 10 minutes later, from Gnabry's right wing pass, Havertz cushioned his left foot to put Germany 3-2 ahead.
In theory, if Spain loses to Japan, Germany will go through once they beat Costa Rica by seven goals or more. And in the remaining minutes, Flick's students still tried to score more goals, but only succeeded with Fullkrug's close-range shot in the last minute of injury time.
When the whistle of Stephanie Frappart - the first female referee to referee a match at the Men's World Cup - sounded, the German players collapsed in utter disappointment.
