At 11:55 p.m. local time in Qatar, it was official. Final whistle at Al Bait Stadium. Shocked faces from the players. The four-time world champion has to start the journey home. Although the DFB team won 4-2 (1-0) against Costa Rica in a game of nerves, since Spain surprisingly lost 2-1 to Japan in the parallel game, Hansi Flick’s team ended up third in the table.
Hansi Flick had surprised before the kick-off. Although he only made two nominal changes – Leroy Sané moved into the team, Thilo Kehrer rotated to the bench – but he filled four new positions within his 4-2-3-1 system. Surprise number one: Joshua Kimmich moved to right-back. “With him we have more options on the flank, Joshua has very good solutions offensively,” said Flick. After all, it is important to put pressure on the wings against the Central Americans who are expected to play defensively.
Ilkay Gündogan was moved to the defensive midfield position that had been vacated by Kimmich’s move. Jamal Musiala moved from the attacking left flank to the playmaker position that Gündogan had filled against Spain. Sané played where Musiala had played against Spain.
Flick did not make the change that many had hoped for and that Oliver Bierhoff had even publicly expected – which was also surprising. Thomas Müller was given another chance at the front. Niclas Füllkrug, who saved the side from defeat with his goal against Spain, stayed on the bench again.
So Germany tried again without a real centre-forward. But that was not a decision against Bremen, but rather one for Müller. “We chose Thomas because, with his vast experience, he is very important. He takes the others with him, the team needs that,” said the national coach. In the ARD interview, he dismissed the objection that the veteran was almost completely inconsistent with goals: “I told him: Today is exactly the time to start.”
But it wasn’t long before Musiala, one of seven Bayern players in the starting XI, developed a goal threat. The 19-year-old moved in from the left and tested Rica’s Keylor Navas with a long-range shot. The 35-year-old goalkeeping legend was able to steer to the corner.
It quickly developed into a game that almost exclusively took place in half of the Costa Ricans. Five minutes later, Musiala dribbled across the box but failed to get the shot. Then Müller appeared for the first time – but he put a diving header next to the goal after a Kimmich cross.
Serge Gnabry did better. After ten minutes he gave the Germans, who were already overwhelmingly superior at this point, a 1-0 lead. This was preceded by one of those moves that Flick had instructed his team to take: Musiala made the game fast on the left, taking David space with him – who then crossed to the first post. Gnabry was correct and headed the ball into the net against Navas’ direction of travel.
The Flick-Elf did not let up afterwards either. The Germans continued to put pressure on their opponents, who at first even seemed overwhelmed at times, and who seemed to be stabilizing at least defensively after the 7-0 defeat against Spain in the 1-0 loss to Japan. There were other chances. Goretzka failed with a header from a promising position (14th minute). In the 35th minute, Navas had to follow up on a slightly placed shot by Kimmich. Half a minute later, Musiala finished too hastily. Gnabry just missed the goal (40th).
Nevertheless: Even without the second goal, everything seemed relaxed at this point – maybe too relaxed. Shortly before the break, Antonio Rüdiger and Raum miscalculated after a failed cross – suddenly Keysher Fuller appeared free in front of Neuer, who was just able to steer the following shot over the crossbar with one hand. Then Niklas Süle hit the ball in an attempt to clear. Dangerous carelessness had crept in – memories of the 1:2 against Japan were awakened. Germany trembled during the break.
Should it be another nerve game? Shortly after the restart, it transpired that the Japanese had equalized against Spain. If it stayed that way – Germany would have been eliminated. The mistakes increased, Costa Rica got stronger, came to more deals. Things got hectic at the German bank. Japan even took the lead. Now you would have to win more than 7:0 to get into the round of 16. Flick reacted, he brought Füllkrug – finally a striker.
But the nerves of the team collapsed. It happened in the 58th minute: Raum played a bad pass, then things went very quickly. Joel Campbell serves Fuller, who crosses to Kendall Waston – Neuer can still parry when he tries, the rebound lands on Yeltsin Tejeda, whose shot then goes into the goal. 1:1 The players were shocked, the German fans were shocked.
Angry German attacks follow: Musiala puts a bounce on the inside post. Everything was thrown forward. But fear now played along: there was a lack of accuracy, ball losses increased. Still, there were more opportunities: Musiala hit the post again. And time was running out.
What happened then bundled the paralyzing horror of the German team into one scene: A long free-kick ball sailed through the German five-meter area, followed by a Costa Rican header relay, legs go up, Neuer comes out of the goal – and the ball is in the network. Juan Pablo Vagas was the last to go. 1: 2 (70th minute). The goal was checked – and given. Now the double sensation seemed possible: Germany and Spain dropping out – and Costa Rica and Japan progressing.
It remained dramatic: the Germans fought, ran – and were rewarded. Kai Havertz scored preparatory work from Füllkrug to make it 2-2 (73rd) – now Spain and Japan would be through. The DFB-Elf would have to win to still have chances – and at least hope for the Spaniards to equalise.
The effort was rewarded in the 85th minute: it was Havertz again – this time he pushed a cross from Gnabry over the line. For four minutes, Füllkrug even increased the lead to 4:2 – but that was no longer of any use. Because the Japanese won. Germany is eliminated.