Japan lost to Costa Rica and the players apologized to the fans

The debut of the Japan team at the Qatar 2022 World Cup was surprising, since they came back and beat Germany (2-1). For the second date of Group E, the Asian team had the opportunity to take an important step towards qualifying for the round of 16, but could not take advantage of it: they lost 1-0 against Costa Rica.

The recent performance of the Japanese team was solid at a collective level, with dominance and scoring chances, although there was no precision and just one oversight was enough to leave them empty-handed. Keysher Fuller Spence’s goal for the ‘Ticos’ came after 81 minutes and coach Hajime Moriyasu could no longer reverse the story.

After the final whistle at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, the Japan national team players did not hide their sadness: some knelt on the field and others looked at the sky, trying to find an explanation. However, despite the fall, the team never stopped receiving encouragement from the fans.

Precisely due to the poor performance, the team led by Maya Yoshida decided to apologize to the fans: all the footballers positioned themselves in front of one of the stands of the sports venue and made a gesture of reverence. At the same time, the fans responded with applause.

Let’s remember that with the defeat, the Japanese team is left with three points and remains in second place in Group E; while Costa Rica has the same amount and is third, due to the worst goal difference. On the other hand, Spain, the leader, also registers a similar score, but must still face Germany (without units) this Sunday.

When is Japan vs. Spain?

The match Japan vs. Spain will play next Thursday, December 1, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, for the third date of Group E of the Qatar 2022 World Cup (2:00 pm Peruvian time). The Japanese will have to win to advance to the round of 16, although it will depend on what Germany does (they will face La Roja and Costa Rica).