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Joel Campbell celebrates his early goal
Photo: Noushad Thekkayil/EPA
Costa Rica has trembled as the 32nd and last team in the final round of the soccer World Cup in Qatar - so after the summer fairy tale of 2006 there will be a reunion with the DFB team.
The team led by star goalkeeper Keylor Navas from Paris St. Germain managed a highly flattering 1-0 (1-0) win against New Zealand on Tuesday at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Ar-Rayyan, Qatar.
Despite a clear increase in chances, the “All Whites” were unable to follow their island neighbors from the other end of the world almost 24 hours after Australia entered the World Cup.
The decisive goal came in the third minute, scored by Joel Campbell.
After an unnecessary red card against substitute striker Kosta Barbarouses, New Zealand played outnumbered for the last 20 minutes or so.
Costa Rica is at a World Cup for the sixth time
This means that Costa Rica will meet Germany on December 1st in the last group game at the World Cup in Qatar.
"Anyone who qualifies can be potentially dangerous as an opponent," said national coach Hansi Flick before the game.
The other opponents in Group E are Spain and Japan.
It is Costa Rica's sixth finals appearance, having reached the quarter-finals in 2014.
In 2006, Costa Rica had lost the World Cup opening game in their only encounter with Germany 2:4.
Costa Rica will have to and want to improve before the World Cup, Tuesday's performance was poor for a long time.
New Zealand didn't play like the underdogs.
"We look after ourselves, we will play bravely," announced New Zealand coach Danny Hay before the game.
New Zealand is only ranked 101 in the world, 70 places behind Costa Rica.
Even outnumbered, New Zealand remains dangerous
Even the early lead didn't faze New Zealand.
Again and again the outsider played boldly forward, but often failed due to the strong Keylor Navas from Paris Saint-Germain.
The supposed equalizer by Chris Wood shortly before the break was denied again according to the video images.
Anything else would have been undeserved of the compensation.
The team of ex-national player Hay acted without frills but consistently and kept looking for the 1.91 meter tall Wood in the center of the attack.
Costa Rica switched to counterattacking early on, but without much effect.
Winston Reid, who has been without a club for about a year, kept the All Whites' defensive together.
Even with a majority, Costa Rica let themselves be pinned down in their own half, although the red card – also after a video decision – should have made defending a little easier.
But even at this stage, Navas had to intervene and use all his skills to make it to a World Cup again at the age of 35.
kjo/dpa