Costa Rica vs Germany: On Thursday night, Germany, which has won the World Cup four times, will play Costa Rica in their last group game.
After getting beat up by Spain, Luis Fernando Suarez praised the Lazarus-like win over Japan. He said, “Yesterday we were dead, but now we are alive.” With a 1-1 draw with La Roja on Sunday night, Germany ensured their hopes for knockout football are still alive.
Costa Rica can make sure of a spot in the last 16 with a win, but a tie would be enough if Spain beats Japan. Germany is also counting on how Spain does.
Hansi Flick’s team has to beat Costa Rica no matter what happens at Khalifa International. If Spain doesn’t want to lose, they need to win by two goals or more. But if Japan pulls off another surprise, Germany would have to beat Spain’s goal difference, which improved greatly after beating Costa Rica 7-0.
Here’s what you need to know about Group E’s last game.
Where do Germany and Costa Rica play?
Al Kohr is in Qatar. The Al Bayt Stadium is there.
Thursday, December 1
The start time is 19:00 GMT, which is 14:00 ET and 11:00 PT.
Costa Rica vs Germany H2H Results (All-Time) (All-Time)
Costa Rica: 0 Wins
Germany: 1 Win, 0 Tie
Form as of now (Last Five Games)
Costa Rica: WDWLW
Deutschland: LDWLD
Team news from Costa Rica
Suarez was worried that his team’s loss to Spain would have a psychological effect, but he only made two changes to the starting lineup. The change to a back-three, usually a back-five, definitely threw Japan off, and he may use the same strategy against Germany.
Suarez will have to find a new centre-back for Francisco Calvo, who got a second yellow card against Japan and will have to be replaced.
Germany vs Costa Rica: Who Will Play?
Starting with number 11 (5-4-1): Navas; Fuller, Duarte, Waston, Chacon, Oviedo; Torres, Borges, Tejeda, Campbell; Contreras.
Bench: Alvarado, Sequeira, Vargas, Matarrita, Martinez, Lopez, Salas, Wilson, Zamora, Aguilera, Ruiz, Bennette, Hernandez, Venegas.
Team news from Germany
Germany beat Spain because of what Flick did in the second half. Niclas Fullkrug tied the game with a decisive goal in his third international match, but Leroy Sane’s arrival gave Germany’s front line the speed it needed.
Sane hasn’t started a World Cup game yet because he’s still recovering from a knee injury, but that could change this Thursday.
Germany’s expected team against Costa Rica
Germany Starting 11 (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kehrer, Sule, Rudiger, Raum; Gundogan, Kimmich; Gnabry, Musiala, Sane; Fullkrug.
Bench: Ter Stegen, Trapp, Bella-Kotchap, Ginter, Schlotterbeck, Klostermann, Goretzka, Brandt, Gotze, Adeyemi, Hofmann, Havertz, Moukoko, Muller, Gunter.
Who will win between Costa Rica and Germany?
Costa Rica had a bad reputation before the tournament, but Spain’s seven goals wiped that out. Los Ticos haven’t had much of a bite in this tournament, but their careful performance against Japan helped them get back on track.
In their two games, the Costa Rican team has taken fewer shots than four German players (four). The Germans have had trouble turning these chances into goals, but the fact that Flick’s team is getting a lot of chances suggests that they should be able to beat Costa Rica.
It’s not up to Germany to decide if that’s enough to get into the next round.
Prediction: Germany will beat Costa Rica 2-0.
