World Cup: Fuller strikes late as Costa Rica beat Japan 1-0
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Costa Rica's Keysher Fuller scoring their winner against Japan in their Group E encounter on Sunday.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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DOHA – Costa Rica stunned Japan 1-0 thanks to a late goal at the World Cup on Sunday to blow Group E wide open and hand a potential lifeline to Germany.
Japan, who shocked four-time champions Germany 2-1 in their opener in Qatar, could have taken a giant stride towards the last 16 with a win.
Instead they laboured for large parts of the match against a Costa Rica side who were hammered 7-0 by Spain, then defender Keysher Fuller scored in the 81st minute with a deflected strike.
It was Costa Rica’s first shot on target at this World Cup and could be of huge benefit to the Germans.
The result left Spain, Japan and Costa Rica all on three points. Spain face Germany later Sunday in another crucial contest.
“These players did amazing things today. I will not talk about technique or tactics,” said Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez, whose side face Germany next. “Today I need to value and appreciate what they have done to get this win.
“We weren’t dead yesterday and now we are still very much alive. Nobody can forget about us yet so we can still dream.
“People thought we were already out but we are in this together.”
Japan made five changes to the team who shocked Germany 2-1 last week
Suarez had resisted making wholesale changes to the team thumped by Spain, dropping teenage winger Jewison Bennette and defender Carlos Martinez to the bench.
Gerson Torres and 34-year-old centre-back Kendall Waston took their place in an ageing XI which featured four players from the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals.
In temperatures of about 32 deg C at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Japan immediately went on the attack and won a corner within 30 seconds to signal their intent.
But Japan’s early promise melted in the Doha sun and the first shot at goal – a tame effort which sailed high and wide – did not come until 10 minutes from half-time through Costa Rica’s 30-year-old Joel Campbell.
A dreary first half came to a close with “Los Ticos” having had more of the ball but neither side mustering a shot on target.
Moriyasu had seen enough and made a double change at the break, one of them the introduction of Bundesliga-based striker Takuma Asano, who scored the winner against the Germans.
With the change, the Samurai Blue were sharper up front and midfielder Hidemasa Morita drew the first proper save of the match within seconds of the restart with a powerful strike.
Moriyasu threw on Brighton attacker Kaoru Mitoma for a defender just after the hour as Japan chased the victory that would put them on the cusp of the last 16.
It was all Japan as the match ticked into the last 20 minutes in front of 41,000 spectators.
Substitute Junya Ito looked to have wriggled free and was closing on goal, only for Costa Rica defender Francisco Calvo to cynically tug him back on the edge of the box, earning a yellow card that could easily have been red.
Costa Rica had done nothing for most of the game as an attacking force, but nine minutes from normal time they stole it when Fuller’s shot took a deflection and looped in.
Moriyasu, whose side face Spain in a daunting last group game, still fancies Japan’s chances of reaching the knockout round.
“Of course Spain will be tough but there is a good chance for us to win. We will be well prepared and will go into the match with confidence,” he said.
Moriyasu denied that his men were tired after their exertions against Germany and defended making so many changes to his line-up.
“In the first half, Costa Rica didn’t do great either, both of us struggled to control the game,” he said.
“It was a complicated game and maybe both sides lacked some quality in the first half.” AFP
