The Qatar World Cup, the strangest of the century, opened the box of enigmas in the Jor desert, where Germany won its first game on the night that it was eliminated on the rebound, as a result of the succession of accidents that condemned it against Japan in his first match.
The World Cup thus lost the most triumphant team in the tournament after Brazil, sunk in the group stage for the second consecutive edition.
The disaster in Russia in 2018 was followed by this other failure, more cruel but no less unfair, with the very modest Costa Rica as a witness.
Soccer usually punishes the confusion between desires and realities.
Hansi Flick, the German coach, believed that he had better players than he actually has, he thought that Kimmich could be a leader and that Gundogan was expendable as long as the magical Musiala was agitated on the attack front.
He only hit with Musiala.
Coordination divides soccer professionals into two families.
Those who drive the ball without seeing what is happening around them, something that would be excessive to ask of human beings with good psychomotor conditions, and those who while kicking the ball visually control their own and strangers as they move.
Musiala belongs to the order of the gifted of the neural synopsis.
Otherwise, at only 19 years old and with a body still developing, he wouldn't be able to do what he repeated in Qatar.
Actions like the play that preceded the first goal against Costa Rica, when he showed the ball to Campbell, Waston and Tejeda, attracted them as a lure, and filtered the pass to Raum so that he entered like a knife to serve the goal.
Keylor was unable to touch the ball headed by Gnabry and Germany found themselves in a promised land ten minutes into the game.
With a football phenomenon in their ranks, the score in favor against an opponent who did not display fine-tuned offensive mechanisms, and with Spain beating Japan 1-0 in their match in Doha, a circumstance that automatically classified them.
The stadium had not been filled.
The weather was rather cold.
In search of stronger emotions, the staff made the wave.
On the field, the Central American center backs, Waston, Duarte and Vargas, obstinately evacuated balls, supported by a whole swarm designed to prevent Germany from reaching clear shooting positions.
Only Musiala, with controls that broke lines and wills, seemed capable of advancing clearly.
A shot from him, deflected by Keylor, and a play in which he left Goretzka alone —uncoordinated in finishing— synthesized German fatigue.
Costa Rica only sought attacks with throws from the central defenders and goal kicks.
No effect until a 70-meter pass from Oviedo caught Raum badly against Fuller.
The wing-back took Rüdiger's rebound and his point-blank shot was opportunely deflected over the crossbar by Neuer.
The incident was greeted only by a group of Costa Rican pilgrims.
"Yes, we can!" they shouted.
When the players returned from the break, with the floodlights on again, the field was covered in a strange mist.
The news that Japan had tied Spain sowed concern on the benches and in the stands.
Knowing that this result required him to win at least 8-0, Flick immediately took action and removed Gündogan to enter the winger Füllkrug.
As in the loss to Japan on matchday one, the move deprived his team of the only competent driver.
Returning Kimmich to the midfielder after playing the entire first half on the side, Germany put themselves in the hands of the Bayern player, who gave signs of nervousness since he stepped foot in Qatar and repeated against Costa Rica the mistakes that misaligned his team against Japan.
The explosion of joy in the Costa Rican fans was complete.
Flick was desperately making changes.
From Doha they announced that Japan had gone ahead 2-1 when Vargas also made it 2-1 in Jor.
Germany's unbridled charge, goals from Havertz and Füllkrug to take the lead 2-4, were muffled screams in the desert.
Japan's victory over Spain turned the great tent of Jor into a sepulcher of failed heroes.
No feat was worth anything anymore, after a trajectory that Germany twisted on the first day, letting the happy Japanese come back from 1-0, unexpected leaders of Group E.
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Classification
Group E | PT | P.J. | PG | PE | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 JAPAN | 6 | 3 | two | 0 | 1 |
two ENG | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
3 GER | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
4 CRC | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | two |
Group E | PT | P.J. | PG | PE | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 JAPAN | 6 | 3 | two | 0 | 1 |
two ENG | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
3 GER | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
4 CRC | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | two |
