Costa Rica in shock 1-0 win over Japan

Costa Rica ignited their FIFA World Cup campaign with a smash-and-grab 1-0 win over Japan at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar yesterday.

Luis Fernando Suarez’s men prioritised defensive solidity after their 7-0 humbling at the hands of Spain in their opening match and kept their opponents at bay sufficiently throughout, as the early-afternoon temperature exceeded 30 degrees.

But Costa Rica made Japan pay for their failure to capitalise on their attacking superiority when Keysher Fuller curled a shot over Shuichi Gonda (81) with the team’s first shot on target in the tournament.

The late winner blew Group ‘E’ wide open, with Costa Rica, Japan and Spain all on three points at this stage. Japan looked buoyant after their shock win over Germany last time out and flew out of the blocks to put Costa Rica immediately on the back foot. They were soon controlling the tempo of the game.

Japan’s Ritsu Doan sent a teasing ball across the box from the right, which needed just one touch to find the back of the net, while at the other end, ex-Arsenal forward Joel Campbell’s improvised shot cleared the crossbar by a good few feet.

(C.D)