CNN
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Costa Rica shocked Japan with a 1-0 win, due to an 81st minute purpose from Keysher Fuller, because it saved its hopes of qualifying for the World Cup knockout levels alive with an important three factors to drag degree with Spain and Japan in Group E.
Japan, contemporary from a shock victory over Germany that has given them an actual probability of reaching the knockout levels, couldn’t discover a foothold on this recreation regardless of Costa Rica nonetheless licking its wounds from a chastening 7-0 defeat towards Spain.
It was a cagey, underwhelming opening first 45 minutes marked by untidy passing from either side as neither may muster a single shot heading in the right direction.
Straight after half-time, nonetheless, the tempo instantly lifted with the introduction of two new faces for Japan – Takuma Asano and Hiroki Ito.
Hidemasa Morita shimmied his method to the penalty field and lined up a shot on purpose that was batted away by Keylor Navas.
Japan continued to press however couldn’t capitalize and the sport quickly settled again into the tepid rhythm of the primary half.
Then, towards the run of play, Costa Rica capitalized on a mistake on the sting of the field and Fuller rifled the ball into the highest nook of the online, previous the outstretched hand of Shuichi Gonda, for his aspect’s first shot heading in the right direction and first purpose of the event.
It silenced the Samurai Blue followers for the primary time, whose present of singing and drums had swept across the stadium for a lot of the sport, and buoyed the Costa Rican help as their very own chants of “Oe Oe Ticos!” grew louder.
With simply 9 minutes of standard time remaining, Japan noticed its hopes of sealing a spot within the knockout levels slip away, and an opportunity late on with the ball ricocheting across the field was marshalled by Navas as Costa Rica held on for the win.
With Spain and Germany taking part in in a while Sunday, each groups’ fates will probably be determined within the final spherical of fixtures.
