CNN
—
Costa Rica shocked Japan with a 1-0 win, thanks to an 81st minute goal from Keysher Fuller, as it kept its hopes of qualifying for the World Cup knockout stages alive with a crucial three points to pull level with Spain and Japan in Group E.
Japan, fresh from a surprise victory over Germany that has given them a real chance of reaching the knockout stages, could not find a foothold in this game despite Costa Rica still licking its wounds from a chastening 7-0 defeat against Spain.
It was a cagey, underwhelming opening first 45 minutes marked by untidy passing from both sides as neither could muster a single shot on target.
Straight after half-time, however, the pace immediately lifted with the introduction of two new faces for Japan – Takuma Asano and Hiroki Ito.
Hidemasa Morita shimmied his way to the penalty box and lined up a shot on goal that was batted away by Keylor Navas.
Japan continued to press but could not capitalize and the game soon settled back into the tepid rhythm of the first half.
Then, against the run of play, Costa Rica capitalized on a mistake on the edge of the box and Fuller rifled the ball into the top corner of the net, past the outstretched hand of Shuichi Gonda, for his side’s first shot on target and first goal of the tournament.
It silenced the Samurai Blue fans for the first time, whose current of singing and drums had swept around the stadium for much of the game, and buoyed the Costa Rican support as their own chants of “Oe Oe Ticos!” grew louder.
With just nine minutes of regular time remaining, Japan saw its hopes of sealing a spot in the knockout stages slip away, and a chance late on with the ball ricocheting around the box was marshalled by Navas as Costa Rica held on for the win.
With Spain and Germany playing later on Sunday, both teams’ fates will be decided in the last round of fixtures.
