Japan wants to look at the round of 16 against Costa Rica
MADRID, 26 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Japanese team is looking for another victory this Sunday against Costa Rica (11:00/World Goal and Movistar+) that will pave their way to the round of 16 of the World Cup in Qatar, after surprising Germany, in a second day in which the Central Americans They need to react so as not to find themselves out of the appointment at the first opportunity.
A goal by striker Takuma Asano in the 83rd minute allowed the Japanese team to give the bell and leave the Germans on the canvas (1-2) in their World Cup debut. Only Spain’s overwhelming victory against the ‘ticos’ (7-0) prevented them from leading Group E.
Now, the ‘blue samurai’ will be looking for their second straight World Cup win for the first time since 2002, something that would unlock the achievement of reaching the World Cup qualifiers for the second straight time. In addition, that result, combined with a victory or a draw for Spain, would offer them a mathematical pass to the round of 16.
In fact, if the Japanese and Spanish won their matches, they would play for first place in the group on the last day, a key duel to avoid rivals like Brazil in the following matches.
Before, Hajime Moriyasu’s men will face the duel against Costa Rica with the doubts of Hiroki Sakai and Takehiro Tomiyasu, who trained on the sidelines in recent days due to muscular discomfort. Asano, this time, will start from home.
Meanwhile, the Costa Ricans will examine their state of mind after losing to ‘La Roja’ in the biggest win of the edition, a match in which they received more goals than in their eight previous matches together in the World Cup. The negative goalscoring, in addition, will weigh on some ‘ticos’ who can no longer fail if they want to continue in Qatar.
In the event of losing again, Luis Fernando Suárez’s team would be virtually eliminated, putting an end to the dream of repeating the feat of reaching the quarterfinals as in Brazil 2014. All in a real test for PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who against Spain he could not make a single save, and for the attack line, unable to sign a single shot on goal.
Nor is the statistic aligned with the Central Americans, who have never beaten the Japanese in their four previous games -three Japanese victories and one draw-, although until now they have never met in an official match.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
JAPAN: Gonda; Yamane, Yoshida, Itakura, Nagatomo; Endo, Tanaka, Kamada; To you, Ito y Asano.
COSTA RICA: Keylor Navas; Carlos Martinez, Calvo, Duarte, Oviedo; Borges, Tejeda, Bryan Ruiz, Bennette; Contreras and Campbell.
–REFEREE: Michael Oliver (ING).
–STADIUM: Ahmad bin Ali.
–TIME: 11.00/World Goal and Movistar+.