Adrian R Huber
Al Rayyan (Qatar), Nov 27 (EFE) to Japan, thanks to a goal by Keysher Fuller, in a match corresponding to the second day of group E of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, played at the Ahmed Bin Ali stadium in Al Rayyan.
After the catastrophe against Spain, the Costa Rican coach, Luis Fernando Suárez, launched a message urging resilience. “We are not dead,” warned the Colombian. And he was right. Because in a match in which Japan dominated more, the Costa Ricans added three points and will play for the pass to the round of 16 in the last game, against Germany.
Japan, after starring in one of the surprises of the World Cup against the four-time champion, could achieve a direct pass to the round of 16; and Costa Rica, after its debacle against Luis Enrique’s Spain, had to win -or at least not lose- to stay alive in the tournament. Something they achieved after a very elaborate game and in which they resisted the Japanese onslaught.
The Colombian Luis Fernando Suárez gave entry to Kendall Waston and Gerson Torres as the two novelties compared to last Wednesday, against Spain (0-7) falling out of the ‘eleven’ Jewison Bennette and Carlos Martínez.
Costa Rica played with a defense of five, with Fuller on the right and Bryan Oviedo on the left; and Calvo, Duarte and the ‘giant’ Waston – who had already replaced Carlos Martínez in the second part of the debacle against Spain – in the center of the rear. With Tejeda and Celso Borges (who raised his own record of caps with ‘La Sele’ to 155) again at the pivot; Joel Campbell -the hero of the playoffs- heeled to the left of the attack and Contreras as the most advanced man
Japan, on the other hand, made five changes to the starting team that surprised Germany (1-2). Hayime Moriyasu brought on Miki Yamane and Hidemasa Morita, for the injured Sakai -with muscular problems- and Tomiyasu -with a ‘touched’ thigh-; and he lined up Doan -who had come out in the second half and scored the first goal against the Germans-, Soma and Ueda in the attacking positions. Leaving out, from the beginning, Take Kubo, from Real Sociedad, and Asano, who claimed a place in the ‘eleven’ after the great goal that put the finishing touch on the ‘Mannschaft’ last Wednesday.
His left-back, the veteran Yuko Nagatomo, who is playing his fourth final phase in the tournament and only lasted the first half, nevertheless broke the record for caps in a World Cup (12) with Japan; that he was electric, although it was soon diluted by the effective defense of Costa Rica in an intense but not very attractive first half.
It was soon seen that Costa Rica had recovered its pulse after the shipwreck against Luis Enrique’s Spain, which had inflicted its most severe defeat in a World Cup. Ordered back, they contained the Japanese attack, which was reduced to timid internees on the right of Doan and Yamane, without excessive danger.
In a very intense but inconspicuous first half, the Ticos, with a Calvo occasionally going up in attack, leaned more towards the left flank, with Tejeda, Oviedo and Campbell. The latter tried in the 34th minute with a shot from outside the area with the outside of his left foot that went over Gonda’s door.
The second part completely changed the game, which became more dynamic. Hiroki Ito entered for Nagatomo and Asano for Ueda; and the Japanese rushed into the goal of Keylor, who thwarted two actions by Morita and Asano himself in the first five minutes. And Soma, somewhat hasty, tried again in the eleventh, with an incisive Doan showing that his ownership had been deserved.
A foul by Borges on Endo on the edge of the area -which cost the Costa Rican a yellow card- turned into a new occasion that Soma threw over Keylor’s goal. A few minutes later, at minute 70, he saw the yellow Costa -who will miss the next game-, due to the entry of Junya Ito, who had entered for Doan shortly before. Again on the edge of the area, this time it was Kamada who was in charge of launching a free kick that crashed into the wall.
Only in one of the 28 games that they did so, did Costa Rica lose when Campbell scored -formerly of Villarreal and Betis-, who was very active, on the left wing, at the beginning; and alternating right with center later. Campbell didn’t score, but he opened up plenty of holes; and he did, in minute 80, Fuller, who enabled Yeltsin Tejeda with a great pass and who surprised Gonda to open the scoring. With the ‘tico’ fans singing the “yes we can”.
Moriyasu gave entry to his ’10’, Minamino -ex of Liverpool and now in Monaco- just after the goal. The blue samurai launched themselves into a whirlwind against Keylor’s goal. But Costa Rica held on. And he refused to pack.
– Data sheet:
0; Japan: Gonda; Yamane (Mitoma, m.62), Itakura, Yoshida, Nagatomo (H. Ito, m.46+); Endo, Morita; Doan (J. Ito, m.65), Kamada, Soma (Minamino, m.82); and Ueda (Asano, m.46+).
1; Costa Rica: Keylor Navas; Fuller, Waston, Duarte, Calvo, Bryan Oviedo; Gerson (Torres. m.65), Yeltsin Tejeda, Celso Borges (Salas, m.83), Joel Campbell (Chacón, m.90+5); and Contreras (Bennette, m.65).
Goal: 0-1, m. 80: Fuller to a pass from Tejeda.
Referee: Michael Oliver (ENG). He showed yellow cards to the Costa Ricans Contreras (m.40), Borges (m.61), Calvo (m.70) and to the Japanese Yamane (m.61), Mitoma (m.92), Endo (m.93)
Incidents: match corresponding to the second day of group E of the Qatar 2022 World Cup played at the Ahmad Bin Ali stadium in Al Rayyan before 41,479 spectators. EFE
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