Germany defeated Costa Rica, but their World Cup hopes are in ruins

• Germany have come to Qatar motivated to redeem themselves after their shocking group stage exit in 2018
• Germany was out after Spain passed them on goal differential
• Germany lost both of their opening group games for the first time in their World Cup history

Despite winning 4-2 against Costa Rica in their final Group E match on Thursday, four-time winners Germany shockingly exited the World Cup at the group stage for the second time in a row.

Germany have come to Qatar motivated to redeem themselves after their shocking group stage exit in 2018. Instead, they placed third overall, tied with Spain on four points but losing on goal differential, and will once again return home early.

Following a 2-1 victory over Spain, Japan, who finished first in Group E with six points, will play Croatia in the round of 16, while Spain will play Morocco. With three points, Costa Rica came in last.

On a night of nonstop action in the desert outside of Doha, the Germans took the lead in the 10th minute through Serge Gnabry, but the Central Americans responded with goals from Yeltsin Tejeda and a Manuel Neuer own goal before Kai Havertz scored twice to put the Germans back in the lead.

In extra time, another replacement, Niclas Fuellkrug, added a fourth, but even that wasn’t enough to extend their World Cup run.

Germany lost both of its opening group games for the first time in their historic World Cup history, and despite winning on their final attempt, they will leave Qatar with their heads in the sand.

There are numerous causes, but Germany coach Hansi Flick remarked, “I’m not seeking for an explanation. “I was disappointed and really irate with my players for allowing the opposition to come back in the first half.

“In the first half, we aimed to score three or four goals, but we committed mistakes. 16 of them, if we had succeeded with those opportunities.

“But today’s results of the tournament were not decided for us. We were eliminated from this event because we lacked effectiveness.”

After losing to Japan in their opening group match and then salvaging a 1-1 draw against Spain, Germany entered the game on the verge of being eliminated.

Germany went in pursuit of an early goal to calm their anxieties since they needed to win to prevent a reoccurrence of the 2018 disaster.

directional traffic

In the second minute, Jamal Musiala tested Keylor Navas with a low drive while an unmarked Joshua Kimmich found Thomas Mueller, who could have performed much better, but he was unable to keep his header on goal.

But in the 10th minute, Gnabry gave them the lead with a looping header.

In the opening 45 minutes, Costa Rica hardly entered German territory despite requiring at least a point to advance.

The Germans were keen to redeem themselves after their disastrous tournament debut, and chances continued to present themselves. However, just like in the previous two group games, they were unable to take advantage of them.

They nearly paid for it when Keysher Fuller capitalised on two defensive errors, but Neuer, who was making a World Cup record 19 appearances, deflected his effort over the crossbar.

Germany gradually became anxious as the group rankings flashed on the stadium’s huge screen, and Musiala twice hit the post early in the second half.

Neuer was helpless. When Tejeda thundered the ball past him on the rebound after he had initially stopped a Kendall Waston header, it was 13 minutes after the break.

To make matters worse, in the 70th minute Juan Pablo Vargas appeared to have bundled the ball over the goal line, but the goal was ultimately declared an own goal by Manuel Neuer.

After three straight failures in international competitions, Germany will host Euro 2024. Substitute Havertz scored two in the first 12 minutes of the game and Fuellkrug added another in stoppage time.