Costa Rica spring huge surprise to seal smash-and-grab victory against tepid Japan
13:03 CET: Hopefully that's the only bad game of the day. Onto the next. Belgium take on Morocco, and we will be covering that, as we always do.
Check out our match report from Japan vs Costa Rica. See you guys in just under an hour.
12:57 CET: That was probably the worst match I have watched this World Cup, but there was certainly a lot of drama with what happened in the end. Costa Rica set up with no intention of going forward, and hoped that they would take their one chance all game. And by some miracle, they did just that. Their first shot on target all tournament, and now they sit on three points and have given themselves some sort of a chance of qualification (however unlikely that is). They did defend well today, despite not offering anything offensively. But Japan were even worse. Their attacking football was awful. The first half was particularly bad. They could barely string passes together. They were more lively in the second half, but still struggled against a team who conceded seven in their last game. Japan have missed a huge chance now, and will be gutted. Germany will be delighted with the result.
Second Half
12:54 CET: The full time whistle blows and Costa Rica spring a huge surprise. But you know what, Japan were just that poor, they really did deserve nothing from the game.
12:51 CET: Another sub for Costa Rica, trying to waste some time now. Campbell makes his way off the pitch in really slow fashion, with Daniel Chacon coming on.
12:48 CET: 6 minutes of added time. Can Japan find an equaliser?
12:46 CET: OH, OH, no. Japan have a really good chance, there's a scuffle in front of goal, but Navas does well to keep the ball out.
Youstin Salas comes on, with Borges coming off for Costa Rica.
12:40 CET: Football, eh? Funny sport. That was Costa Rica's first shot on target ALL TOURNAMENT. Japan respond by bringing on Takumi Minamino.
12:37 CET: WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT??? WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT?! SOMEHOW, WITHOUT HAVING A SINGLE SNIFF ON GOAL ALL GAME, COSTA RICA HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD. KEYSHER FULLER HAS CURLED/DINKED THE BALL AT GOAL, IT'S A CLEVER EFFORT, BUT GONDA HAS REALLY MESSED THAT ONE UP AND LETS IT GO THROUGH HIS HANDS. HE SHOULD HAVE SAVED IT.
12:35 CET: The game certainly isn't good, but Japan are definitely trying a lot harder this half. The momentum graph shows that after a first half where both sides had the ball, Japan have totally taken over this half.
12:27 CET: Oooooh, Ito finds a way through the Costa Rica defence, and Calvo drags him back and down to the ground. He was really close to the goal there, but there were a few defenders around him. A yellow card is shown. If a red was produced, I wouldn't have been surprised. Easily could be off there.
Free kick right on the edge of the box. Slammed straight into the wall.
12:23 CET: Doan off, Junya Ito on for Japan.
12:21 CET: Costa Rica make a double sub, Jewison Bennette and Brandon Aguilera on for Contreras and Torres.
12:19 CET: Over the bar. Perhaps too close to get it up and over the wall.
12:18 CET: Ok, Japan have a free kick right on the edge of the box. Could be danger here. In the meantime, Kaoru Mitoma comes on for Yamane for Japan.
12:16 CET: Nope, sorry, I lied. After a frenetic, lively, five minute burst after half time, normal service has resumed. Drab.
12:06 CET: Ok this is so much better already. Asano is at the heart of everything good for Japan and has added so much more pace and intensity to his side.
12:03 CET: A PROPER SHOT, A SAVE FROM THE KEEPER ALREADY. Asano was involved immediately and sets up Morita, whose shot is strong but straight at the keeper. Positive signs hopefully.
12:01 CET: The second half begins, and it literally cannot be worse than the first 45. Japan have made two changes with Takuma Asano - who scored the winner against Germany - and Hiroki Ito coming on for Ueda and Nagatomo.
11:48 CET: I'm not exaggerating, that was one of the worst 45 minutes of football I have ever seen. Diabolical. No side has shown even the tiniest bit of intent. I can't remember either goalkeeper making a save. Any time they decide to wander forward into territory that is seemingly terrifying to them, they lose the ball. There have been a few niggly fouls here and there. That is literally it. Unfortunately, we will be back for the second half.
First Half
11:45 CET: That is half-time after one minute of added time. I have no clue where they got that minute from. That was utterly terrible...
11:36 CET: Apparently it's 33 degrees Celcius, which is hot. Perhaps that's having an impact on the players.
11:34 CET: Hold the press, there's some semi-decent football on display. But Joel Campbell bends his shot with the outside of his foot miles over the bar from long range.
11:29: CET: 30 minutes in, nothing has happened. Neither side seem intent on going forward, and the second they get into the final third, they give the ball away. Really dull so far.
11:18 CET: Really not much to report on so far.
11:10 CET: Although it isn't difficult to be better than they were against Spain, the Costa Ricans are definitely looking more assured of themselves today.
11:05 CET: Costa Rica have had a few free kicks in dangerous positions early on, but their delivery has been really poor.
11:00 CET: Costa Rica get the game underway.
Team News
Japan make four changes to their side, which seems a bit surprising. Hiroki Sakai is not fit, so Miki Yamane comes in at right back. Ritsu Doan, who scored the equaliser against Germany, starts too.
Takefusa Kubo and Takuma Asano are also taken out of the lineup, with Ayase Ueda and Yuki Soma replacing them.
Costa Rica make two changes, with Carlos Martinez and Jewison Bennette replaced by Kendall Waston and Gerson Torres.
Japan - Gonda; Yamane, Itakura, Yoshida, Nagatomo; Endo, Morita; Doan, Kamada, Soma; Ueda.
Costa Rica - Navas; Waston, Duarte, Calvo, Oviedo; Fuller, Borges, Tejeda, Torres; Campbell, Contreras.
Introduction
Rinse and repeat. Another day of World Cup football, another quadruple-header. And today is going to be a superb day with a number of top teams playing with so much on the line. First up, we have Japan vs Costa Rica. It was contrasting fortunes for both sides in their first game, with the Japanese causing a huge upset against Germany, and the Costa Ricans on the receiving end of a battering against Spain. We will have live text coverage for you as we see what is in store today.
Want to listen to the game? We have live audio coverage right over here.
Stats and graphics will be come from StatsPerform.
