who would believe?
Costa Rica managed to surprise today (Sunday) with a 0:1 over the Japanese team, which dived hard to the ground after the surprising victory over the Germans in the opening round.
The Japanese, who were on the verge of qualifying for the round of 16, managed to complicate themselves and now everything is open for the third and decisive round in Group 5.
Just last week, the Samurai stunned all soccer fans and of course the German national team, when they came from behind and scored a sensational 1:2 against one of the favorites to win the title, but it's hard to say that we saw anything of that ability in the first 45 minutes.
Fuller celebrates Costa Rica's surprising goal,
A miserable and uneventful first half between Japan and Costa Rica, photo: Reuters
The two teams simply fell asleep in the first half, showing poor ability and extremely poor football - the Japanese did control the ball more, but it's hard to say that they managed to endanger Navas, Costa Rica's goalkeeper, even a little bit.
The Japanese started the second half in a higher gear, when within 30 seconds Morita kicked a missile into the center of the goal, but Navas managed to save a safe goal only with his fingertips.
The Samurai's pressure continued in the next few minutes, but then almost out of nowhere, perhaps in Costa Rica's first serious attack - Fuller kicked a spinning ball straight into the net of the stunned Gonda, who this time failed to save.
A miserable and uneventful first half, photo: AP
A surprising 0:1 to Costa Rica at the end.
Everything is open at home where Spain and Germany are also playing.
Poor football between Japan and Costa Rica,
Poor football between Japan and Costa Rica, photo: AP
Poor football between Japan and Costa Rica,
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