Costa Rica put a huge dent in Japan's hopes of reaching the World Cup last 16 when they rebounded from their 7-0 hammering by Spain to claim a surprise 1-0 victory in Group E on Sunday.
The door was ajar for Japan to seal their place in the knockout round after their historic opening win over Germany on the same day as Costa Rica's collapse.
There may also have been cheers of relief in the Germany camp because a Japan win would have put them under intense pressure to beat Spain in Sunday's later game. Costa Rica, written off as whipping boys before kickoff, snapped a seven-match winless run at the World Cup to move to three points and now have a possible route to the last 16.
A first-half of mind-numbing tedium even tested the patience of the drum-banging Japanese fans massed in their blue shirts at one end of the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.Apart from a burst at the start of the game by Japan, the half was played at snail's pace, although for Costa Rica the lack of goalmouth action was probably welcome seeing as they conceded three times in the opening half-hour against Spain.
Immediately after the break Japan looked more lively and Hidemasa Morita finally tested Keylor Navas with a stinging left-foot drive which the Costa Rica keeper turned away.
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