Germany exited the group stages of the FIFA World Cup for a second tournament running despite coming back from a goal behind to beat Costa Rica 4-2.
Germany started knocking on the door in the first minute itself when Jamal Musiala used Thomas Mueller’s decoy run to the left to cut inside and fire a shot from outside the box, forcing Navas into a low diving save.
Germany Dominate Early
In the 9th minute, Ikay released Musiala to run through the Costa Rican Midfield, who spotted Raum’s overlapping run on the left and released the ball to him. Raum delivered a perfect cross for Gnabry in the middle, who flicked his header past Navas in the back of the net.
In the 14th minute, Germany came close to doubling their lead when Kimmich’s inch-perfect cross from the right edge of the box found Goretzka, whose header on the near post was saved by Navas.
In the 39th minute, Gnabry came close when he received a flick from Mueller inside the box, and turned brilliantly to cut inside and send curling just whizzing past the top corner.
In the 42nd minute, Costa Rica was almost handed their goal on a silver platter by Germany Raum and Rudiger both failed to clear the ball in an embarrassing fashion, allowing Fuller to nudge the ball off them, and take a clear shot at goal, only to be denied by Neuer.
Costa Rica Get Back and How….
In the 57th minute, Costa Rica breathed life into the game, when Campbell received the ball from Fueller and held on to it before releasing a perfect through ball for the right back on the right-hand side of the box. Fuller looked up to find Watson making a run into the box and crossed the ball for him to make a diving-headed attempt at goal. Thwarted by Neuer, the rebound fell to Tejeda to slot in from close range and make it 1-1.
A minute later, Sane held off a couple of Costa Rican bodies to release Jamal inside the box, whose deft left-footed effort from a tight angle hit the bar at the far post. CLOSE!
A minute later, it was Rudiger’s turn to rattle the crossbar when he came sliding across to meet a delightful ball from Kimmich from the right and hit the post.
Germany’s love affair with the bar continued in the 66th minute when Kimmich Squared the ball to Jamal, who once again expertly cut inside on the edge of the box only to send a beautiful curler kissing the post.
Costa Rica made Germany rue their missed chances when in the 70th minute Campbell’s freekick from deep found Watson inside the box, whose looping header was helped by the head of Oviedo inside the back of the net. 2-1 to Costa Rica.
Read More: SOCCER SHOCKER! : Japan stunned Germany in the Fifa World Cup.
Germany Salvage Their Pride
However, in the 73rd minute, Germany decided that maybe the World Cup was big enough to wake up to when Kimmich headed the ball inside the box for Fullkrug to flick it in the path of Havertz, who kept his calm and slotted it past Navas to bring the boys from Bavaria level.
Havertz got his second in the 84th minute and gave the Germans the lead when his extended leg met Gnabry’s teasing ball from the right for a side-footed finish past a diving Navas. 3-2 to Germany.
Germany completed their comeback in the 88th minute when Kimmich sent a beautiful ball inside the box to Sane, who headed it from the far post in the path of Fullkrug to tap it in. It looked offside initially, however; VAR confirmed the validity of the goal. 4-2 Germany.
End Of The Road For Germany
The win though wasn’t enough for the Germans who crashed out of the World Cup as Japan took their place after shocking Spain in the other group game, sending the 2014 Champions home in the group stages for a second World Cup in a row.
