Japan 0-1 Costa Rica LIVE! World Cup 2022 result, match stream and latest updates today

Japan vs Costa Rica LIVE!

Costa Rica put a huge dent in Japan's hopes of reaching the World Cup last-16 as they recovered from their hammering by Spain to claim a surprise 1-0 victory in Group E on Sunday.

Keysher Fuller's 81st-minute effort, Costa Rica's first shot on target in a dreary game, stunned the drum-beating Japanese fans in the stadium and left the group wide open.

Japan's historic victory over Germany in their opener coupled with Costa Rica's 7-0 drubbing by Spain cleared the way for Japan to reach the last-16 with a game to spare.

But a much-changed line-up failed to spark and their hopes of reaching the knockout stage for a fourth time are now left hanging in the balance with their final game against Spain. Costa Rica, written off before kick-off, are now level on three points with Japan and have a chance to reach the last-16. Heavyweights Spain and Germany play later.

Japan vs Costa Rica highlights

• GOAL! Fuller breaks deadlock

Japan 0 - 1 Costa Rica

Thanks for joining us!

12:14 , Marc Mayo

Well, we got a game in the end, didn’t we?!

Costa Rica go level on points with Spain and Japan in Group E with Germany three behind ahead of tonight’s other game.

Recap the action with our match report!

Up next...

12:08 , Marc Mayo

Ready for more? Follow coverage of Belgium versus Morocco with our live blog...

Kick-off is at 1pm!

Huge celebrations from Costa Rica

12:01 , Marc Mayo

That is their first World Cup win in 90 minutes since the 2014 group stage, and off the back of a 7-0 defeat!

Fuller’s effort was also their first shot on target in Qatar.

The matchwinner

11:56 , Marc Mayo

Full time! Japan 0-1 Costa Rica

11:54 , Marc Mayo

Another big shock - this time going against Japan!

11:53 , Marc Mayo

90+6 mins: At the death, Japan have one more chance to load the box.

Minamino swings it in and Chacon clears before Aguilera wins a throw - drawing a huge roar from the Costa Rica fans!

11:52 , Marc Mayo

90+4 mins: A foul from Mitoma at the back stick, on Fuller, ends another chance from a cross into the box.

Chacon replaces Campbell to bolster La Sele in the middle.

11:50 , Marc Mayo

90+3 mins: Mitoma the threat again as he darts in down the left.

But Costa Rica have the numbers back and Endo commits a foul, for a booking.

11:48 , Marc Mayo

90 mins: Six added minutes as a pass to Minamino by the byline is overhit.

11:47 , Marc Mayo

89 mins: Salas on for Costa Rica to reinforce their midfield.

11:45 , Marc Mayo

87 mins: Japan on the front foot and denied a minor penalty shout.

Mitoma then breaks in to cause a huge goalmouth scramble... Costa Rica somehow survive!

11:40 , Marc Mayo

83 mins: Well that was a surprise!

Against the run of play and Costa Rica lead, which will really put the cat among the pigeons in Group E...

Gonda has to do better with that. Can his teammates save a point? Minamino is on.

GGGGOOOOOAAAALLLL!!!! Japan 0-1 Costa Rica | Fuller

11:38 , Marc Mayo

81 mins: A GOAL!

A superb piece of skill and finish towards the far-post catches Gonda out, and Costa Rica’s celebrations are wild!

11:37 , Marc Mayo

81 mins: Any goal now will surely be the winner. Who fancies it?!

11:35 , Marc Mayo

78 mins: More smart play outside the box and Ito’s cross is inches away from Kamada finishing it off as Japan’s brilliant fans behind the goal ramp up the noise from a run of corners.

11:33 , Marc Mayo

76 mins: Soma breaks down the right and they’re queueing up at the far post to finish off his cross... but it’s overhit and out of play!

Just about sums it up.

11:31 , Marc Mayo

74 mins: Costa Rica want a penalty for a tangle in the box as Endo had a handful of Waston’s shirt, but VAR is happy to wave that away.

11:29 , Marc Mayo

72 mins: It’s Kamada... into the wall!

11:28 , Marc Mayo

70 mins: Only a yellow!?

Potentially a last man foul for Calvo as he grabs Ito back in the D, the Japan man bombing through on goal. Did he have covering defenders to save him from a red?

Michael Oliver thinks so!

11:27 , Marc Mayo

69 mins: Itakura makes a very important header clear after a fine cross from the right on a Costa Rica break, although it’s been all too rare to see La Sele come forward this game.

11:24 , Marc Mayo

67 mins: Japan keep up the pressure with Ito replacing Doan, who has been one of his team’s bigger threats today.

11:22 , Marc Mayo

65 mins: Time for La Sele to switch things up as Bennette and Aguilera are introduced for Contreras and Torres.

The substitutes are on the books of Sunderland and Nottingham Forest, respectively.

11:20 , Marc Mayo

63 mins: Soma fancies it... too high!

11:19 , Marc Mayo

62 mins: Now this is a good spot...

Torres is booked for ending Endo’s run 20 yards out, right by the D.

Japan bring Mitoma on for Yaname at right wing-back before the free-kick comes in.

11:18 , Marc Mayo

60 mins: We’ve played an hour here in the suburbs of Doha and seen two shots on target.

11:15 , Marc Mayo

58 mins: Asano closes down Navas’ clearance and, for a split second, the chance is on for Doan to launch at an open goal from 30 yards out.

Japan play it safe though and the chance goes.

11:13 , Marc Mayo

55 mins: Costa Rica have also come out their shell a little bit since the break, might we actually get a game of football here?

11:08 , Marc Mayo

51 mins: Tejeda picks up a knock from a Japan corner, he took a painful one from Waston but will be able to continue.

11:05 , Marc Mayo

48 mins: Much better from the Blue Samurai as Endo is next to fire at goal before Asano flicks a header that Navas can gather easily.

A switch to a 3-4-3 has encouraged Japan forward a fair bit.

CHANCE JAPAN!

11:04 , Marc Mayo

46 mins: Straight on the front foot for Japan as Asano sends Mirota through and a shot draws Navas into action! A good punch clear from the keeper.

Kick-off!

11:03 , Marc Mayo

Two welcome changes for Japan as Asano and Ito come on for Ueda and Nagatomo.

Second-half coming up!

11:00 , Marc Mayo

Still all to play for in Al Rayyan!

Stats check

10:54 , Marc Mayo

A whopping 12 fouls committed by Japan in that half, with five from Costa Rica.

Three shots to two, in the Blue Samurai’s favour, have produced zero on target.

Costa Rica have egded possession (58-42 per cent) with a total of one corner. And no goals.

10:49 , Marc Mayo

Well, if you had a lie-in this Sunday morning and are only just rising to check in on the World Cup action: congratulations, you made the right choice.

Not loads to say about that half of football other than, if you’re nursing a sore head, it would hardly have shaken your stomach.

Half time! Japan 0-0 Costa Rica

10:46 , Marc Mayo

Hmmmm.

10:45 , Marc Mayo

45 mins: One added minute.

10:42 , Marc Mayo

41 mins: Japan looking more the raw, energetic but wayward team in this half that many expected them to be at this World Cup, rather than the swashbuckling comeback kings that downed Germany.

Yoshida is down after a painful stud landed on his foot from Contreras. Michael Oliver produces a yellow card.

10:37 , Marc Mayo

37 mins: A smooth bit of target-man play from Ueda turns the ball around the corner to Endo yet a storming challenge from Tejeda halts the Japanese advance.

10:35 , Marc Mayo

34 mins: Better from La Sele with Torres and Duarte linking on the right. In comes the ball to Contreras but Japan half clear.

Campbell throws a hopeful boot at the bouncing ball, with the outside of his boot from the 18-yard line. Over.

10:30 , Marc Mayo

30 mins: Doan loses the ball and Costa Rica produce some lovely flicks around the corner to break out... and then proceed to sit on the ball in their own half.

This game could do with a bit more ambition.

10:26 , Marc Mayo

27 mins: A lovely Calvo challenge stops Doan from getting in behind after Japan win the ball high up the pitch.

Costa Rica have grown into the game, can they start to show some threat in attack?

10:23 , Marc Mayo

24 mins: Better from Costa Rica as Contreras bombs down the left, only to not quite fully connect with his cross to give the Blue Samurai a chance to hoof clear.

10:20 , Marc Mayo

21 mins: Navas out well to capture a nice dummy from Ueda that almost put Morita in on goal. That roaming, free-flowing system for Japan looks promising - if they can find an end product.

10:18 , Marc Mayo

18 mins: Good play by Japan to find Yaname overlapping on the right, but under pressure he chips a cross into touch.

10:16 , Marc Mayo

16 mins: Duarte covers Soma’s run by the corner flag as Japan continue to look the bigger threat, Costa Rica currently struggling to get out of their half for any considerable spell.

CHANCE JAPAN!

10:13 , Marc Mayo

13 mins: Doan does well to get down the right channel inside the box and slips a lovely cross that no defender can get to, but no Japan player gambled with a run and the chance goes begging.

10:12 , Marc Mayo

11 mins: Lots of noise coming out from the stands despite plenty of red, empty seats poking through in the sunshine.

Calvo looks forward for Costa Rica but Endo winning it back does not last long for Japan, yet La Sele’s eventual long ball for Fuller is overhit and Gonda claims.

10:07 , Marc Mayo

7 mins: Japan put a foot on the ball for the first time after surviving that early pressure.

10:05 , Marc Mayo

4 mins: Costa Rica lining up in a 3-5-2 system that will look to stop Japan’s three attacking midfielders from roaming and causing trouble.

A run of early fouls from Japan allow the Central Americans a couple of chances to put the ball in the box. Cleared both times.

10:01 , Marc Mayo

2 mins: An early corner for Japan, they look sparky and full of confidence.

Ueda darts in at the near post but cannot connect as the ball is cleared.

Kick-off!

10:00 , Marc Mayo

Another day, another four World Cup matches to savour...

It all starts right here with Japan versus Costa Rica!

National anthem time

09:55 , Marc Mayo

It’s a balmy 33°C in Al Rayyan right now... will that put a bit of a lid on the match?

Here come the players!

09:52 , Marc Mayo

Quite a few empty red seats for this early kick-off, but lots of noise from the two sets of fans nonetheless.

Who are you tipping to win?

09:49 , Marc Mayo

We expect Japan to edge it, Costa Rica putting in an improved display after being humbled by Spain.

Fans looking great!

09:45 , Marc Mayo

Kick-off in 15 minutes!

Bin bags at the ready!

09:39 , Marc Mayo

Those delightfully earnest Japan fans earned plaudits for cleaning up their rubbish after the Germany game, and the bin bags are already in place for another clean-up job today. Bravo.

Countdown to kick-off

09:35 , Marc Mayo

The warm-ups are underway in Al Rayyan. Kick-off in under half an hour!

Today’s venue

09:29 , Marc Mayo

Ahmad bin Ali Stadium sits to the west of Al Rayyan, the suburb of Doha, and has already hosted three games of this World Cup.

All three Wales group matches are booked for the 45,000-seater plus a last-16 tie featuring the winner of Argentina’s group.

On the site of a stadium demolished in 2015, it was completed exactly two years before next month’s World Cup final.

Plenty of Premier League interest

09:23 , Marc Mayo

Japan in particular hold some familiar faces in their squad although most of them start on the bench today, including Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma and Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Ex-Liverpool winger Takumi Minamino is also a substitute.

In the Costa Rica team are Joel Campbell, the former Arsenal man starting up front, and Everton old boy Bryan Oviedo.

Japan coach out to battle ‘complacency'

09:18 , Marc Mayo

Hajime Moriyasu earned big plaudits for his management of the Japan team, particular his substitutes, for the win over Germany.

Against Costa Rica, he wants to make sure that hard work is not undone.

“That win doesn’t really promise a win for us tomorrow and our opponents are different, so of course we need to play differently, otherwise we won’t win,” he said on Saturday.

“The past achievement needs to be forgotten, as there’s no time for complacency and we will focus on tomorrow’s match.”

Last time out

09:12 , Marc Mayo

One of the big upsets of the group stage, Japan beat Germany with a fine second-half comeback.

While Saudi Arabia failed to build on their shock yesterday, can the Blue Samurai go one better and win again today?

Man in the middle

09:06 , Marc Mayo

Premier League referee Michael Oliver gets his first World Cup assignment today.

There had been claims that World Cup chiefs had snubbed European referees with Oliver, Anthony Taylor, Germany’s Daniel Siebert and Dutch officical Danny Makkelie not chosen for the first round of games.

But Oliver is in charge for Japan vs Costa Rica, his first game since Arsenal beat Chelsea exactly three weeks ago.

Costa Rica make two changes

09:01 , Marc Mayo

No space for Sunderland’s teenage winger Jewison Bennette as Gerson Torres comes into the midfield.

Kendall Watson slots in at right-back of a 4-4-2 formation for Costa Rica.

Five changes for Japan

08:56 , Marc Mayo

A bit of an unexpected move from Japan as they bring in Miki Yamane at right-back with Hiroki Sakai not fit and Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu apparently not over his injury enough to start either.

Ritsu Doan, who scored the leveller against Germany, is in the XI.

But there is no spot for Takuma Asano up front with Ayase Ueda favoured, and Yuki Soma replaces Takefusa Kubo on the wing.

Your Costa Rica team today

08:48 , Marc Mayo

Costa Rica XI: Navas, Watson, Calvo, Duarte, Oviedo; Fuller, Tejeda, Borges, Torres; Campbell, Contreras.

How Japan line up today

08:43 , Marc Mayo

Japan XI: Gonda; Yamane, Itakura, Yoshida, Nagatomo; Endo, Morita; Doan, Kamada, Soma; Ueda.

Yoshida urges Japan to ‘stay calm'

08:40 , Marc Mayo

While still keen to bask in Japan’s win over Germany that kickstarted his team’s tournament, Blue Samurai captain Maya Yoshida wants his team to make sure they don’t “dance badly” against Costa Rica.

“Make no mistake, when you win you feel more comfortable,” the ex-Southampton defender said.

“We have to stay calm, prepare well and concentrate on the plan to get us the win.

“The spotlight is on us after the last game and we have to make sure that we don't dance badly. We're not through yet.”

Team news coming up!

08:36 , Marc Mayo

We’re expecting the starting line-ups to be named imminently, so stick around...

A huge day of action

08:28 , Marc Mayo

Groups E and F take centre stage today.

Match odds

08:23 , Marc Mayo

Japan: 1/2

Draw: 3/1

Costa Rica: 13/2

Odds via Betfair

Head-to-head record

08:18 , Marc Mayo

Every meeting between Japan and Costa Rica has been a friendly, with the Blue Samurai winning them all aside from a 1-1 draw in 2002.

Japan wins: 4

Draw: 1

Costa Rica: 0

Evening Standard score prediction

08:12 , Marc Mayo

Japan are in a prime position to qualify for the knockout stages after beating Germany and you would fancy them doing so on Sunday night.

Costa Rica will be licking their wounds after being thumped by Spain, and may sense an opportunity against Japan, and are likely to be more of the same this weekend.

Japan to win 2-1.

08:07 , Marc Mayo

Predicted Costa Rica XI: Navas; Waston, Calvo, Duarte, Oviedo; Tejeda, Borges; Bennette, Fuller; Campbell, Contreras

Costa Rica team news

07:59 , Marc Mayo

With no injuries to contend with, Luis Fernando Suarez will have his choice of tactical tune-ups for this game.

Veteran midfielder Bryan Ruiz could start to add some experience to the side.

07:54 , Marc Mayo

Predicted Japan XI: Gonda; Tomiyasu, Itakura, Yoshida, Nagatomo; Endo, Tanaka; Ito, Kamada, Kubo; Asano.

Japan team news

07:48 , Marc Mayo

Two areas of focus for the Blue Samurai today: up front and at right-back.

Takuma Asano could come into the attack after hitting the winner against Germany.

Also expect to see Takehiro Tomiyasu start in defence after injury prevented him from doing so last time out.

How to watch

07:43 , Marc Mayo

TV channel: In the UK, the match will be televised free-to-air and live on ITV, with coverage beginning at 9am.

Live stream: The ITV Hub will broadcast the match live online.

Hello and welcome!

07:33 , Marc Mayo

What a fine day it is for more World Cup action with Japan vs Costa Rica getting us underway this morning!

The two teams had very different fortunes on the opening week of the tournament.

Now they face off in an intriguing 10am kick-off at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.