In the second round of Group E of the World Cup on Sunday night (27), Japan, who won the last match, lost 0-1 to Costa Rica in the heat and under the big rotation.
beyond the pale
There was a dark surge.
Japan's hotly contested first-round comeback win over Germany restores the godlike drama of the manga "Soccer Bombers,
commander-in-chief
Mori Bokichi has made a big change in his squad, replacing Hiroki Sakai, Kenji Kubo, Akira Tanaka, Junya Ito and Dairen Maeda with Tori Yamane, Hidemasa Morita, Isamu Soma, Erika Ueda and Yasutoshi Doyasu. Probably because of the early match, the game was played in 32 degrees Celsius, except for the initial attack of Japan, the pace was slow after that, and not many goals were scored. Costa Rica learned the lesson from the last game against Spain, which was a seven-egg defeat, and obviously paid more attention to defense, and exchanged a half-time draw.
After the change of match, Japan brought in Takuma Asano, the striker who scored the winning goal in the previous match, and the pace of the match increased immediately. Hidemasa Morita's shot was saved by the Colombian keeper Kieronawas, but Takuma Asano couldn't make up for it, and Isamu Soma's penalty kick was over the bar. Japan then brought in Kaoru Mitani and Junya Ito to strengthen their offense.
However, the Blue Samurai made a mistake in the 81st minute, when Maya Yoshida's pass from the backfield was intercepted by Fumitsu Kishuyafuna, and the goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda scored, the first time Costa Rica had ever scored a goal in a game this year. Japan came back in the final period, but Takuma Asano's shot from close range failed to beat Keirona Vas, and the game was over. Both Japan and Costa Rica have 3 points, so everyone has one!
beyond the pale
Chances are, Japan will have to face the strongest team, Spain, in the last round, and it will be a very tough game.
