DOHA
\nCosta Rica have beaten Japan 1-0 to keep their hopes of qualification in the next round of the World Cup alive.
\nLuis Fernando Suarez\u2019s players spent most of Sunday\u2019s game on the backfoot but came on top with right-back Keysher Fuller\u2019s beautiful curler in the 81st minute, their first and only shot on target.
\nJapan, who entered Ahmad bin Ali Stadium full of confidence after their win over Germany, lacked the cutting edge to break down a resolute Costa Rican defence.
\nThe game seemed headed for a dour stalemate but burst into life after Fuller\u2019s late goal.
\nThe result throws Group E wide open. Costa Rica, who lost their opening game 0-7 to Spain, are remarkably still in the mix to qualify for the next round.
\nA win on Sunday would have sealed Japan\u2019s spot in the round of 16, but they will now need to get a result in their last game against Spain to keep their hopes of qualification alive.
\nJapan made five changes to the team which shocked Germany in their opening match as coach Hajime Moriyasu made full use of his 26-man squad.
\nIn temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Japan immediately went on the attack and won a corner within 30 seconds to signal their intent.
\nCosta Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez had resisted making wholesale changes to the team thumped by Spain, dropping teenage winger Jewison Bennette and defender Carlos Martinez to the bench.
\nGerson Torres and 34-year-old centre-back Kendall Waston took their place in an ageing XI which featured four players from the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals.
\nBut Japan\u2019s early promise melted in the Doha sun and the first shot at goal \u2014 a tame effort which sailed high and wide \u2014 did not come until 10 minutes from half-time through Costa Rica\u2019s 30-year-old Joel Campbell. A dreary first half came to a close with \u201cLos Ticos\u201d having had more of the ball but neither side mustering a shot on target.
\nMoriyasu had seen enough and made a double change at the break, one of them the introduction of Bundesliga-based striker Takuma Asano, who scored the winner against the Germans.
\nThe Blue Samurai were immediately more cutting and midfielder Hidemasa Morita drew the first proper save of the match within seconds of the restart with a powerful strike.
\nMoriyasu threw on Brighton attacker Kaoru Mitoma for a defender just after the hour as Japan chased the victory that would put them on the cusp of the last 16.
\nIt was all Japan as the match ticked into the last 20 minutes in front of 41,000 spectators.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DOHA Costa Rica have beaten Japan 1-0 to keep their hopes of qualification in the next round of the World Cup alive. Luis Fernando Suarez\u2019s players spent most of Sunday\u2019s game on the backfoot but came on top with right-back Keysher Fuller\u2019s beautiful curler in the 81st minute, their first and only shot on target. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":297934,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-297907","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n