Germany vs costa rica

Niclas Fullkrug's late equaliser against Spain means a first victory for Germany at the 2022 FIFA World Cup would still put them in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stage. LIVE: Costa Rica have their own designs on qualifying in the Group E finale, with a draw sufficient for the underdogs to reach the Round of 16 if Spain beat Japan in the simultaneous decider. Germany know that anything other than a win— when they would also require Japan not to emerge victorious over Spain— would send them out, and there is even an unlikely scenario that would see Germany out on tiebreakers in the event of a Japan-Spain draw, although that would require a series of unlikely result combinations. Here's how the teams might initially line up at the Al Bayt Stadium. MORE: Germany vs Costa Rica lineups Leroy Sane is one of many "good options", Germany coach Hansi Flick says, after the livewire winger was forced to miss that defeat to Japan in Germany's opening game. "I’m not feeling any pressure at all and I’m convinced that we are on the right track," added Flick. "I have the feeling that we are getting better as a team with every training session. "We want to take hold of the game as quickly as possible to put pressure on the other game [in the group], but we know that it will be difficult against a side that will likely be set up defensively. I would like to see the same attitude that was on show against Spain. "I’m expecting a defensive [Costa Rica] side, as was also the case...

Germany are staring down the barrel of back-to-back group stage exits at the World Cup, and must get a result against Costa Rica to survive. With the disappointment of failing to make the Round of 16 as defending champions in 2018 still fresh, Germany began the 2022 tournament in equally awful fashion. Japan came from behind to sink Hansi Flick's mean 2-1, before Spain routed Costa Rica 7-0 in the other Group E fixture. They were able to recover and get a fighting draw against Spain, but they still need to win their final game against Costa Rica to qualify. Here is how Germany line up for the group-stage match against Costa Rica on December 1. MORE: Getty Images Germany predicted lineup vs Costa Rica Given that Germany's defence performed admirably against Spain, we can expect to see a similar lineup against Los Ticos. The changes may occur higher up the pitch. Leon Goretzka comes in to bolster the midfield alongside Ilkay Gundogan, with Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich set to drop to rightback. Leroy Sane comes in alongside Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala behind Thomas Muller with Niclas Fullkrug, the man who equalised for Germany again on the bench despite his positive impact last game. Manchester City's Gundogan is the only non-Bayern player in the front six. Germany (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1-Neuer (GK) — 6-Kimmich, 15-Sule, 2-Rudiger, 3-Raum — 21-Gundogan, 8-Goretzka — 10-Gnabry, 14-Musiala, 19-Sane — 13-Muller • Injured: None • Suspended: None MORE: Germany World Cup s...

There was an added note of pain for Germany in the tone, the pitch, the basic jauntiness of Costa Rica’s designated goal music, a taunting blast of trumpets and maracas, the kind of thing that gets played on a particularly cruel TV gameshow as the bucket of gunge upends itself over the dunce’s booth. Germany did manage something novel at Al Bayt Stadium, exiting the World Cup at the earliest stage despite winning this game 4-2. They spent most of it in, then out; and even witnessed an extraordinary period where it seemed Costa Rica, who played with real heart, were going through instead. With 48 minutes gone Hansi Flick’s team had been bossing this Group E endgame, eyes still fixed on the horizon towards the last 16 of Qatar 2022. Elsewhere in the Doha orbit zone Thank you for your feedback. The German campaign had been weird, marked by Antonio Rüdiger’s mocking knees-high run, and then the Füllkrug interlude, where a man who could actually score a goal briefly became a kind of Teutonic folk saviour. But this felt like a kind of safety. At which point semi-disaster struck. Japan equalised at the Khalifa International Stadium. Pos Team P GD Pts 1 Japan 3 1 6 2 Spain 3 6 4 3 Germany 3 1 4 4 Costa Rica 3 -8 3 Germany did need a just-in-case goal, needed to win by two, to play like this was still there. They did the opposite. A large channel of space opened down the right. Costa Rica surged through, Keysher Fuller crossing, Manuel Neuer saving the first header and Yeltsin Teje...

After the 7-0 defeat to open the tournament, what we saw in the last two games was real fight from the Costa Ricans. Yes, they were exposed once they opened up against Germany, but to beat Japan and then briefly hold a lead over Germany in the group finale showed the spirit of a country that did not let that opening result define their tournament. Costa Rica now faces a key stretch where they will turn over the program to a group of young players that is starting to break through. Some will argue it should have happened more in this tournament. But even in a 4-2 defeat, the Ticos displayed more about their identity as a nation and as a footballing culture than was on display against Spain. Game over for Germany. They shouldn't expect kind words from the media back at home, because this really hasn't been good enough, whatever their squad's limitations may be. They dug a hole against Japan, dug in admirably against Spain, but this was a very meagre effort, regardless of the four goals they scored. Tschuss! Keylor Navas hasn't had a great tournament, but he might have just produced one of its best saves. A Germany break leaves Fullkrug with what looks like a tap-in at the back post. He makes good contact, but Navas somehow recovers his ground, gets across his goal, and diverts the ball over the top. A stupendous save. Goodness, that's brilliant goalkeeping. The fight of the Ticos since that 7-0 loss has been something special. They have shown a willingness to keep fighting a...