Doha, Nov 28 (UNI) The second round of matches in Group E on Sunday left the group finely in the balance, with everything to play for in Thursday's final round of games where any of the four teams can still qualify.
A win over Costa Rica would mean a great chance for Japan to reach the last 16 following their opening win against Germany, but against a rival that aimed to recover pride after losing 7-0 to Spain, somehow Japan lost 1-0.
A second win for Spain would have probably assured their spot in the knockout round, but after Alvaro Morata gave them a 1-0 lead against Germany, big striker Niclas Fullkrug saved the day for the Germans, just as some fans were mentally packing their bags.