Costa Rica snatched a win late on against Japan through Keysher Fuller to keep their 2022 FIFA World Cup dream alive, in a game where Japan dominated for large swathes but were unable to find a goal.

It was a first half which lacked any notable talking points bar two yellow cards close to half time, as the two teams displayed a lack of quality when going forwards with the ball, often losing it in advanced positions.

After the break however, Japan greatly improved, with the introduction of Takuma Asano in particular providing them with more threat, as they looked to make it two wins out of two in Group E.

But for all their efforts, they could not get past the strong Costa Rica defence, and they instead turned the game on its head when Keysher Fuller scored with ten minutes to go to secure a potentially vital three points for his country.

It is a result which throws the qualification for the knockout stages in this group wide open, with any of the four sides still able to get through heading into the final round of matches this week.

Story of the Match

Following their major upset against Germany, coming from a goal down to win 2-1, Japan made five changes to their starting eleven, including bringing in Ritsu Doan, the substitute who had scored the equaliser in that game a few days before.

Meanwhile, there were just two changes to the Costa Rican team who suffered a humiliating 7-0 loss to Spain, as Kendall Waston and Gerson Torres came in for Carlos Martinez and Jewison Bennette respectively.

There was pressure on both sides as the game got underway, with Luis Fernando Suarez' Costa Rica knowing they needed a point at the very least or they would face elimination from the competition, whilst Japan had the prospect of all but securing their place in the round of 16 if they won this game.

It appeared those permutations had an effect on both sets of players in the first half, with chances few and far between inside the Al-Rayyan Stadium, with the sweltering weather also not helping either team's case.

It was the Samurai Blue who controlled possession for the most part, but their attempted forays forward were often swiftly ended by a mixture of poor passes, heavy touches and moments of indecision.

Doan flashed a ball across the face of goal midway through the first 45 minutes, but there was nobody there to direct it home, and the familiar feeling of watching a potential 0-0 draw be played out at this World Cup began to creep into some minds.

Credit must also go to Costa Rica, who certainly looked far more defensively solid than they had done in their first group stage game, preventing any Japanese chances after 30 minutes - the time at which they had already gone 3-0 down against Spain.

But they offered very little in attack themselves, as Hajime Moriyasu's well-organised back four limited Los Ticos to speculative long shots at best, and frustrating losses of possession at worst.

There were a couple of yellow cards for cynical fouls by Anthony Contreras and Miki Yamane close to the interval, but in a sign of the lack of any real notable action, just one minute was added on before the two teams headed in for half time.

DOHA, QATAR - NOVEMBER 27: Ayase Ueda of Japan vies with Joel Campbell of <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/23/1130306-world-cup-enrique-rejoices-in-spains-team-of-goalscorers.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/23/1130306-world-cup-enrique-rejoices-in-spains-team-of-goalscorers.html'>Costa Rica</a></strong> during the <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/26/1130558-france-2-1-denmark-mbappe-double-downs-danes-to-secure-group-d-qualification.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/26/1130558-france-2-1-denmark-mbappe-double-downs-danes-to-secure-group-d-qualification.html'>FIFA <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/26/1130568-i-tackled-emre-can-andi-said-because-i-love-you-post-match-quotes-from-dortmund-sailors-match.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/26/1130568-i-tackled-emre-can-andi-said-because-i-love-you-post-match-quotes-from-dortmund-sailors-match.html'>World Cup</a></strong></a></strong> Qatar 2022 Group E match between Japan and <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/23/1130306-world-cup-enrique-rejoices-in-spains-team-of-goalscorers.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/23/1130306-world-cup-enrique-rejoices-in-spains-team-of-goalscorers.html'>Costa Rica</a></strong> at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Ayase Ueda battles for the ball with Joel Campbell during the FIFA World Cup match between Japan and Costa Rica (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

A more energetic second half

After a first half without a shot on target for either side, things could only get better in an attacking sense, and it did not take long for that to be exemplified, with Japan looking far more dangerous with the introduction of the man who had scored the winner off the bench against Germany in Takuma Asano.

The winger was once more brought on as a substitute in this game, and his impact was immediate, as he played the ball to Hidemasa Morita, who then became the first player to test the goalkeeper, forcing a save out of Keylor Navas.

For the first time in the game Japan had a period of concerted pressure, winning multiple corners and forcing some big blocks out of their opponents, as Wataru Endo and Ko Itakura both tried their luck from range.

A stoppage in play did disrupt the Japanese rhythm briefly, but they soon regained it as Yuki Soma cut inside on the left wing, before firing a shot wide, becoming the latest player in blue to look threatening in attack.

An hour in, Endo won a free kick on the edge of the box, Celso Borges fouling the midfielder, but Soma could not direct the resulting set piece on target, sending it wide of the post instead, to the frustration of the Japanese fans who were by now in fine voice.

A few minutes later, Asano turned Francisco Calvo and was very close to getting a shot away before Calvo dragged him back, picking up a yellow card for his troubles and giving Japan another golden opportunity from a free kick which was this time even closer.

It was Daichi Kamada who took on the responsibility, but he could not get it past the wall, and for all their good play and dominance on the ball, the Samurai Blue continued to be held by a stalwart Costa Rica defence.

Various crosses came in from Japan as they started to become a little more desperate, but as the clock ticked down ever closer to 90 minutes, many started to wonder if a goal would ever come in this one.

That was, until the 81st minute when, against all the odds and indeed the run of play, Costa Rica found the opener with their first shot on target of not only the game but the entire tournament. 

Keysher Fuller received the ball on the edge of the penalty area, before having a go from range, and while the effort was relatively weak, it duped the Japanese goalkeeper Shuichi Honda, who somehow let it slip through both hands into the net.

It prompted wild celebrations from the Costa Rica bench, and rightly so, as with less than 10 minutes to go they looked as though they may have rescued their World Cup hopes when all had seemed lost.

 

DOHA, QATAR - NOVEMBER 27: Keysher Fuller (R) of <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/17/1129641-spain-vs-costa-rica-world-cup-group-e-preview-round-1-2022.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/17/1129641-spain-vs-costa-rica-world-cup-group-e-preview-round-1-2022.html'>Costa Rica</a></strong> celebrates after scoring their team's first goal with their teammate Yeltsin Tejeda (L) during the FIFA <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/26/1130568-i-tackled-emre-can-andi-said-because-i-love-you-post-match-quotes-from-dortmund-sailors-match.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/26/1130568-i-tackled-emre-can-andi-said-because-i-love-you-post-match-quotes-from-dortmund-sailors-match.html'>World Cup</a></strong> Qatar 2022 Group E match between Japan and <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/10/28/1127781-usa-world-cup-2022-preview-can-pulisic-key-success-for-americans.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/10/28/1127781-usa-world-cup-2022-preview-can-pulisic-key-success-for-americans.html'>Costa Rica</a></strong> at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)
Keysher Fuller celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the match between Japan and Costa Rica  (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)

Japan kept on pushing though, with Kaoru Mitoma beating his man and delivering a dangerous low cross which temporarily caused pinball in the penalty area, but somehow the ball could not be diverted into the back of the net and Keylor Navas gratefully claimed the ball.

Mitoma looked the most likely to make something happen for Japan, twisting and turning on the left wing, but after six minutes of added time the referee finally blew for full time, giving Costa Rica an absolutely huge win.

It means that three of the four teams in Group E are now level on three points, with the potential for all of them to be on the same number heading into the final round of games if Germany beat Spain later on Sunday, meaning it is well and truly anybody's game in terms of progression to the round of 16.

Player of the Match - Keysher Fuller

Up until the 80th minute of this game, it would have been pretty difficult to select any one standout player from this game, as whilst Japan were on top they never showed quite enough quality to break down the Costa Rica defence.

DOHA, QATAR - NOVEMBER 27: Keysher Fuller of <strong><a href='https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2022/11/08/1128885-2022-fifa-world-cup-preview-canada.html'>Costa Rica</a></strong> celebrates after scoring their team's first goal with their teammates during the FIFA <strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/26/1130567-poland-2-0-saudi-arabia-post-match-player-ratings.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/international-football/2022/11/26/1130567-poland-2-0-saudi-arabia-post-match-player-ratings.html'>World Cup</a></strong> Qatar 2022 Group E match between Japan and <strong><a href='https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2022/11/08/1128885-2022-fifa-world-cup-preview-canada.html'>Costa Rica</a></strong> at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Keysher Fuller celebrates with his teammates after scoring the winning goal against Japan (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

But after Keysher Fuller, with his country's first shot on target of the entire tournament, found the back of the net, there could only be one choice for the player of the match, that being the 28-year-old right back.

He gave his side a hugely unexpected three points which moves them from likely last place to potential knockout round contenders, underlying the thrilling nature of this dramatic World Cup group stage once more.

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