Costa Rica 2-4 Germany: Germans are dumped OUT of the World Cup despite win with Spain losing to Japan... after Central Americans had led and were briefly heading through before Kai Havertz's double
- Germany are out of the World Cup for the second tournament in succession despite victory over Costa Rica
- Serge Gnabry gave Germany a half-time lead as they dominated the first period of the match
- Costa Rica stunned Hansi Flick's side after the break through Yeltsin Tejeda and a Manuel Neuer own goal
- But Chelsea forward Kai Havertz came off the bench to net twice and restore the lead for four-time champions
- Niclas Fullkrug also struck as a substitute to ensure Germany won their first game of the 2022 World Cup
- However, Japan's surprise victory over Spain prevented Germany from progressing beyond the group stage
- Click here for the latest World Cup 2022 news, fixtures, live action and results
If England were looking for even more schadenfreude today, then it is available in the fact that the German player who can hold his head highest after an elimination for the ages was a former Surrey primary schoolboy.
That won't be necessary. Germany somehow managed to remove themselves from the World Cup by narrowly taking a game which they could and should have won by more Spain's 7-0 winning margin against Costa Rica.
As their manager Hansi Flick observed in the aftermath, they should have been 4-0 up at half-time after Jamal Musiala, remembered well by his teachers in New Malden, ran the show. And then the flaws at the heart of the German engine revealed themselves on a night of monumental drama which left this place drowning in permutations and briefly had Costa Rica on course to qualify with Japan and send Spain home.
![Germany have been sensationally dumped out of the World Cup group stage despite beating Costa Rica 4-2 on Thursday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65149317-11490125-image-a-52_1669929132178.jpg)
Germany have been sensationally dumped out of the World Cup group stage despite beating Costa Rica 4-2 on Thursday
![Germany players look on from the bench as they learn of their fate following Japan's surprise victory over Spain in Group E](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65149049-11490125-image-a-48_1669929098609.jpg)
Germany players look on from the bench as they learn of their fate following Japan's surprise victory over Spain in Group E
![Second half goals from subs Kai Havertz (centre) and Niclas Fullkrug (right) could not prevent Germany from slipping out](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65149043-11490125-image-a-95_1669929774988.jpg)
Second half goals from subs Kai Havertz (centre) and Niclas Fullkrug (right) could not prevent Germany from slipping out
Flick managed to park his obvious grief and cite Musiala as a prospect Germany can hold on to. He even mentioned the 19-year-old formative English football education. 'He is fantastic, his skill in the tackles, the one on ones, he is outstanding,' the manager said. 'Jamal has been trained in England, not Germany.'
But in the final reckoning, this is a story of incompetence at the back of pitch and inadequacy when it mattered at the front of it. Those failings brought Germany defeat to Japan and a scrambled point against Spain. When you enter the final match of a World Cup group stage with one point and two goals on the board, you are flirting with disaster.
The inconvenient truth for Germany is that they have lacked a world class full-back since Philipp Lahm retired and have a shortage of top-class centre-backs, Antonio Rudiger apart. Omitting Mats Hummels from their squad has proved a very costly error.
'For years we have bene talking about new goalkeepers, new wing-backs,' Flick said in the aftermath. 'What was always good in German football was we were able to defend well. We need the basics. Spain is very good in the defence and they focus on training of young players.'
![Serge Gnabry headed Germany into a deserved 10th minute lead after a glancing header from a David Raum cross](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65145501-11490125-image-a-55_1669929207258.jpg)
Serge Gnabry headed Germany into a deserved 10th minute lead after a glancing header from a David Raum cross
![Gnabry's header was fully deserved for Germany who dominated the first-half against a defensive Costa Rica side](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65145547-11490125-image-a-57_1669929210217.jpg)
Gnabry's header was fully deserved for Germany who dominated the first-half against a defensive Costa Rica side
This inadequacy was clear before the roof caved in on Germany. As half-time approached and they swarmed all over Costa Rica, an agricultural ball was humped towards the German box. David Raum and Antonio Rudiger individually tried and individually failed to cope with it.
This sent Costa Rica defender Keysher Fuller running through on goal, staring Manuel Neuer in the white of his eyes. Neuer required all his agility to make the save.
Within moments, Niklas Suele was swinging a wild left foot at a ball from the right and missing it entirely. A competent team would have punished this.
![Yeltsin Tejeda though struck a shock equaliser from close range after half-time to stun the four-time world Champions](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65147619-11490125-image-a-58_1669929270963.jpg)
Yeltsin Tejeda though struck a shock equaliser from close range after half-time to stun the four-time world Champions
![On a night when Germany had to win, the Costa Rica goal proved a huge setback inside the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65147613-11490125-image-a-61_1669929277496.jpg)
On a night when Germany had to win, the Costa Rica goal proved a huge setback inside the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor
![But Germany's night got even worse when a scramble in the box saw the ball bounce off Manuel Neuer into his own goal](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65148023-11490125-image-a-62_1669929285520.jpg)
But Germany's night got even worse when a scramble in the box saw the ball bounce off Manuel Neuer into his own goal
![Germany were full value for their victory and three points on the night despite their World Cup exit - graphic from Sofascore](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65149687-11490125-image-a-90_1669929636144.jpg)
Germany were full value for their victory and three points on the night despite their World Cup exit - graphic from Sofascore
Uncharacteristic teutonic imprecision, you might think. Not so. The choice of cumbersome centre-back Suele at right-back had already come back to bite Germany, when Japan's Takumi Minamino skipped in behind him to score.
It was early in the second half that all hell let loose.
Germany knew that a Japan victory would have left them, at best, level on points with Spain and needing to overhaul the seven-goal win over the Central Americans that they had achieved at the start of the tournament.
And before setting about that task, they calmly proceeded to ship two goals to this generally hapless opposition.
![Kai Havertz was brought on during the second half and immediately brought Germany level with a neat finish inside the box](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65148063-11490125-image-a-64_1669929296533.jpg)
Kai Havertz was brought on during the second half and immediately brought Germany level with a neat finish inside the box
![The Chelsea forward then restored Germany's lead after expertly steering home a Gnabry cross for Hansi Flick's side](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65148217-11490125-image-a-68_1669929319526.jpg)
The Chelsea forward then restored Germany's lead after expertly steering home a Gnabry cross for Hansi Flick's side
![Niclas Fullkrug also came off the bench to add a fourth goal a minute from time to seal the three points for Germany](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65148511-11490125-image-a-71_1669929322416.jpg)
Niclas Fullkrug also came off the bench to add a fourth goal a minute from time to seal the three points for Germany
![It capped a second goal of the tournament for Fullkrug but it was not enough to take Germany through to the last-16](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65148509-11490125-image-a-73_1669929326236.jpg)
It capped a second goal of the tournament for Fullkrug but it was not enough to take Germany through to the last-16
Fuller - who, with respect, no one would have predicted having the Indian sign on the four times world champions - advanced easily down the right and crossed. Neuer saved the first header. Yeltsin Tejeda dealt emphatically with the rebound. Juan Pablo Vargas bundled the ball home in off Neuer's legs to score again, after another ball into the box had induced blind panic.
Another of themes of these wretched few weeks for Germany has been their struggle to identify a main striker. The one they have stumbled on is Niclas Fullkrug, a German Rickie Lambert, whose last three seasons in the German top flight had produced a collective 12 goals.
He arrived from the bench after 55 minutes, followed by Kai Havertz for the ineffectual Muller just after the hour and together they set about the improbable mission of scoring a further five goals in the 20 minutes of full-time available.
Havertz lifted a shot over Keylor Navas and converted a cross from Serge Gnabry to get Germany ahead. Leroy Sane supplied Füllkrug to score the fourth. Had Germany not conceded those two goals, the cricket score they needed might still have been on. They hit the post twice in the second half - Musiala twice.
But the game had gone. 'If you look at the defence there were a few things that didn't go as planned,' the traumatised Flick reflected as he surveyed the wreckage of all this. 'I am a very critical person. We will assess everything.'
![Japan's victory over Spain meant Germany were dumped out of the tournament as a dejected Thomas Muller looks on](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/21/65149725-11490125-image-a-93_1669929659265.jpg)
Japan's victory over Spain meant Germany were dumped out of the tournament as a dejected Thomas Muller looks on
![Referee Stephanie Frappart and assistant referees Neuza Back and Karen Diaz became the first all-female team of officials to take charge of a men's World Cup match](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/12/01/23/65146727-11490125-Referee_Stephanie_Frappart_and_assistant_referees_Neuza_Back_and-a-20_1669938106456.jpg)
Referee Stephanie Frappart and assistant referees Neuza Back and Karen Diaz became the first all-female team of officials to take charge of a men's World Cup match
RE-LIVE THE ACTION AS IT HAPPENED...
Follow Sportsmail's live blog for the World Cup Group E clash between Costa Rica and Germany.
Costa Rica and Germany are out of the World Cup finals
90+7min: Germany are OUT of the World Cup. It's happened for the second World Cup in a row too!
Japan have defeated Spain 2-1 and that means they top the group in front of Spain, who can now only go out if Costa Rica score three times.
Germany fans are leaving in their droves as news filters through here.
90+1min: It matters not in this game though. Germany are helpless here as long as Japan keep winning.
Seven minutes added on there, and we are into the fourth minute as Japan lead Spain 2-1.
89min: Niclas Fullkrug's effort has in fact been given as a goal - with a late VAR check coming after the communication with the referees broke. Some more tech gear being given to our match with 10 minutes added on.
As Niclas Fullkrug heads home, he is denied a goal as he is flagged offisde. Here is how the table stands...
85min: Germany are back in front, and super sub Kai Havertz is at it again prodding home an excellent ball in from Gnabry.
Yet Germany are STILL heading out as long as Japan are leading Spain - and that remains the case.
77min: First booking of the game and it is for Oscar Durate. It's become end to end stuff here though. Even Costa Rica are attacking now.
74min: Jewison Bennette and Ronald Matarrita replaces Keysher Fuller and Johan Venegas, while Navas makes a stunning point blank save to deny Fullkrug.
73min: There goes our bit of fun. Kai Havertz makes an instant impact, prodding home unmarked inside the box. Germany still heading out though along with Costa Rica.
70min: This is unbelievable! I cannot believe what I am seeing. This is the scrappiest goal of the tournament or of many tournaments but they all count.
Juan Vargas somehow bundles home a cross after a save from Neuer. As it stands Japan AND Costa Rica are going through!
68min: Germany have hit the post for a THIRD time. This time Musiala, curling in a lovely shot only for his effort from 20 yards to bounce off the face of goal and back into play.
67min: David Raum and Thomas Muller depart for Germany with Mario Gotze and Kai Havertz coming on.
62min: This game is truly bonkers. Germany hit the post... TWICE. Musiala and Rudiger find the upright with Muller also going close inbetween.
59min: Could Germany have endured a worse 15 minutes of football? Somehow, Costa Rica are level!
A cross from the right sees Kendall Watson have a header well saved by Manuel Neuer but Yeltsin Tejeda is on the follow up to sweep up the rebound!
Germany as it stands are now bottom of their group.
55min: Germany make another change as striker Niclas Fullkrug replaces Ilkay Gundogan. All of this is redundant while Spain still trail Japan.
51min: It's still in Germany's hands at this... hang on, JAPAN HAVE SCORED AGAIN and now lead 2-1.
Now it means no matter what Germany do they are heading OUT.
48min: Hold the phone, here. Japan have equalised against Spain! As it stands, Japan are now going through as runners-up behind Spain as they have a better head-to-head record having beaten Germany 2-1.
Costa Rica send on Youstin Salas for his sixth cap in the midfield to replace teenager Brandon Aguilera, while Germany bring on Lukas Klostermann for Leon Goretzka - I assume to rest the latter's legs.
It's been a good match for them to officiate, especially with Costa Rica refusing to engage much with Germany's attackers. But so far so good from Stephanie Frappart and her team who have allowed the game to flow.
45min: It nearly happens again! A cross from the left somehow goes through Niklas Sule but a Costa Rica attacker fails to read it before Germany clear.
Sane meanwhile blasts over from distance. One added minute.
43min: Where has this come from?! Costa Rica have a glorious chance to equalise!
David Raum and Rudiger somehow doze off trying to defend a long ball over the top, and it allows Keysher Fuller to steam in, take the ball and get a shot in only for Manuel Neuer to make a top save to tip it over.
40min: This game is over and by over I mean it's done as a contest. Why? It's because we have a Mexican Wave going around the ground - the universal sign of boredom setting in as Germany continue to attack and attack.
Gnabry goes close to his second goal, curling just wide across goal after good work from Muller.
37min: Meanwhile Germany continue to chase a second goal. Kimmich's long range strike is saved by Navas, who needs two bites of the cherries to gather before Goretzka can follow up (below).
Musiala meanwhile has gone on another mazy run only to fire wide inside the box, with Celso Borges sliding in to do just enough to put him off.
34min: I'm a bit concerned for Joel Campbell here. While the game has gone on he has gone down on his knees looking in some discomfort. Thankfully he is back to his feet and carrying on but I hope he hasn't got a serious injury problem developing there. I wasn't spotted by anyone in the ground - at least match officials and team-mates anyway.
Keylor Navas is having a busy evening so far, having had to make a number of saves while also rushing off his line to clear (below) in front of Thomas Muller.
30min: And here is one of them - and do you know what. This is a chance. Bryan Oviedo whips in a good ball towards the penalty spot, but Joel Campbell can't read it properly and his hapless swipe at it results in no form of clean contact and the ball rolling out to safety.
At the other end Gnabry's blocked shot results in corner No 6.
27min: A fifth Germany corner - none of them really effective yet though as Raum's ball in is headed clear. As you expect, no corners for Costa Rica yet. You need to build an attack first.
24min: Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on Costa Rica. Clearly they can't go toe-to-toe with Germany and they don't have a world class talent like Robert Lewandowski in their line-up to use, unlike Poland. They do try a conservative attack but it only ends with a through ball rolling hopelessly long to nobody. At least the effort was there.
21min: Some very similar patterns to last night already were Poland effectively stuck everyone behind the ball and allowed continuous Argentina attacking. Germany haven't got out of second gear yet and they really should be 3-0 up.
15min: Chance after chance. Now a ball is floated into the penalty box and while the Costa Rica player stand around ball watching, Leon Goretzka runs from deep to get his head on it, only for Navas to make another smart save.
13min: And as Germany continue to dominate, it gets better for them as Spain have taken the lead against Japan. As it stands Spain progress as group winners, with Germany in second place.
10min: If anything, this has taken too long in coming. David Raum crosses from the left and once again unmarked a Germany forward is left with a free header. This time though Serge Gnabry is on the end of it and he glances a simple finish across the target.
8min: This could turn into another 'Spain' for Costa Rica - which of course means another thrashing. First, Musiala runs into the box and around about nine players before seeing a shot blocked while Thomas Muller has just somehow nodded wide while unmarked.
5min: This is relentless and we have hardly played five minutes Keysher Fuller makes a mess of his first touch and it allows Germany to pounce, resulting in Leroy Sane's shot from an acute angle to be parried away.
The offside flag is raised against Germany, but don't let that fool you into how one-sided this game is already looking.
2min: That didn't take long for Germany to start cooking. Less than two minutes gone and already Keylor Navas is called into action in the Costa Rica goal - beating away a smart Jamal Musiala effort.
Costa Rica: Navas, Duarte, Waston, Vargas, Fuller, Borges, Tejeda, Oviedo, Aguilera, Campbell, Venegas.
Subs: Chacon, Contreras, Bennette, Ruiz, Torres, Salas, Martinez, Alvarado, Lopez, Matarrita, Sequeira, Wilson, Hernandez, Zamora.
Germany: Neuer, Kimmich, Sule, Rudiger, Raum, Gundogan, Goretzka, Gnabry, Musiala, Sane, Muller.
Subs: Ginter, Kehrer, Havertz, Fullkrug, Gotze, Trapp, Klostermann, Brandt, Hofmann, Gunter, Ter Stegen, Schlotterbeck, Adeyemi, Kotchap, Moukoko.
Referee: Stephanie Frappart (France)
Excellent atmosphere for this one - as the anthems are observed here is a reminder of the key permutations from this group.
Germany have to win no matter what to stand a chance of progression. However if Japan defeat Spain then the four-time champions are out.
Costa Rica would also progress with a win, but could also advance with a draw if Spain win.
Referees Stephanie Frappart, Neuza Ines Back, and Karen Diaz Medina shake hands as they prepare to make history as the first all-female officials of a men's World Cup game.
We are focusing on everything Costa Rica vs Germany here, but if you wish to keep track of all the events between Japan and Spain in the other Group E game, then click here to follow all the action with Sportsmail's NATHAN SALT.
Lots of focus this evening on Thomas Muller. The forward was poor against Spain and can count himself fortunate to still be in the XI given how well Niclas Fullkrug played after replacing him a few days back. He must perform tonight.
Probably not, and that's more down to just how good the Argentine crowd were yesterday evening. Still the Germany fans look like they will bring the noise this evening...
Into the team come Juan Pablo Vargas for Francisco Calvo, with veteran striker Johan Venegas replacing Anthony Contreras and 19-year-old Brandon Aguilera in for Gerson Torres.
They reached the quarter-finals back in 2014 - beating Italy and Uruguay along the way, but how big would getting a result against Germany against those matches. Don't forget victory would eliminate the four-time winners.
It's a big one. Fit again Leroy Sane is indeed back in the team and he replaces defender Thilo Kehrer.
Thomas Muller keeps his place in attack despite being outclassed by Niclas Fullkrug who replaced him against Spain to score the late equaliser.
Big evening for them - let's hope they don't have too much nonsense to put up with. We've already had some bizarre calls from the Croatia game today where Premier League referee Anthony Taylor was made to check an offside call on a pitchside monitor... I mean isn't that what VAR is for?
That draw meanwhile means Morocco have impressively won Group E and will now face the runner up of the group Germany and Costa Rica play in tonight. The table toppers will face Croatia.
With all due respect to Morocco, I think most teams would rather avoid Luka Modric and Co and that could make group dynamics in approach rather interesting this evening. Play for second place?
Click below for more
Our first big victim of the World Cup is Belgium who have lost to Croatia and gone out of the group stage after a 0-0 draw.
The big story central to their exit was the amount of chances Romelu Lukaku missed on a nightmare evening for the Inter Milan forward on loan from Chelsea.
Click below for more
And what a game it was! It was the opening game of the 2006 World Cup and it set the tone for a cracking tournament.
Germany triumphed 4-2 with Philipp Lahm and Torsten Frings scoring cracking goals and Miroslav Klose also netting twice.
Old Costa Rica favourite Paulo Wanchope managed to grab his side's two goals.
Familiar ground to Germany - in fact they played their last game here when they drew 1-1 with Spain. That's basically a home advantage isn't it? The scene is set in Al Khor.
We have just focused on Germany and Costa Rica here but if you wish to check out all the permutations across all group then check out our handy file below...
Germany simply must win to have any hope of staying in the World Cup - and even that would not be enough if Japan defeat Spain.
Costa Rica also need to win to reach the last-16 but a draw could also see them progress if Spain beat Japan.
Goal difference comes into play with other results - so let's cross those bridges when we come to them...
SAM BROOKES: FIFA have fined the German FA after they failed to put a player forward to attend the press conference ahead of their World Cup match with Spain.
A player is obligated to be sent to each press conference the day before their match to take questions alongside their manager.
Click below for more
TOM PYMAN: The milestone appointments have been welcomed by both managers, with Germany coach Hansi Flick saying he trusts the officials '100 per cent', while Costa Rica boss Luis Fernando Suarez described it as a major step forward for the 'very sexist' football industry.
Click below for more
French referee Stephanie Frappart will become the first woman to take charge of a men's World Cup game when she takes charge this evening.
I'm surprised it has not happened a lot sooner to be honest. We've long had female officials in top leagues around the world - and that includes referees in Germany's top flight the Bundesliga.
Click below for more
And I'm sure Germany won't need reminding of this. It was South Korea's 2-0 victory in Russia four years ago that sent the defending champions out of the group stage by finishing bottom.
Costa Rica may arguably not be of the standard of South Korea but they only need a draw to cause the unthinkable to happen again...
We thought it was impossible at the last World Cup when Germany tumbled out at the first hurdle. But could it happen again?
Their mission is apparently simple - beat Costa Rica. But even that may not be enough... Good afternoon all and welcome to what should be another exciting evening of this cracking World Cup.
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