Costa Rica face four-time champions Germany on Thursday evening for their final World Cup group game.

Luis Fernando Suarez lauded the Lazarus-like victory over Japan in the wake of the pummelling against Spain. „We were dead yesterday,“ he said, „now we are alive.” Germany ensured their aspiration of knockout football also has a pulse with a 1-1 draw with La Roja on Sunday night.

Costa Rica can confirm a last 16 spot with victory but would go through with a point if Spain beat Japan. Germany are relying upon Spain’s result as well.

Whatever happens at the Khalifa International, Hansi Flick’s side has to defeat Costa Rica. A win by two or more goals would be enough if Spain avoid defeat. However, if Japan cause another upset, Germany would have to better Spain’s goal difference – which took a huge boost from their 7-0 win over Costa Rica.

Here’s everything you need to know about the final game of Group E.

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Costa Rica vs Germany H2H Results (All Time)

Current Form (Last Five Games)

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Costa Rica team news

Suarez feared psychological repercussions for his side after the nation’s joint-record defeat but only made two changes to the starting XI which lost to Spain. The tweak to a back-three – which was more often a back-five – certainly stymied Japan and may be the approach he takes up against Germany.

However, Suarez will have to find a replacement for centre-back Francisco Calvo after he sustained a second booking against Japan.

Costa Rica Starting 11 (5-4-1): Navas; Fuller, Duarte, Waston, Chacon, Oviedo; Torres, Borges, Tejeda, Campbell; Contreras.
Bench: Alvarado, Sequeira, Vargas, Matarrita, Martinez, Lopez, Salas, Wilson, Zamora, Aguilera, Ruiz, Bennette, Hernandez, Venegas.

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Germany team news

Germany’s victory over Spain swung on Flick’s second-half substitutions. Niclas Fullkrug scored a venomous equaliser on just his third cap but Leroy Sane’s arrival added some much-needed zip to Germany’s frontline.

On his way back from a knee injury, Sane hasn’t been fit enough to start a World Cup game yet – though that could change this Thursday.

Germany Starting 11 (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kehrer, Sule, Rudiger, Raum; Gundogan, Kimmich; Gnabry, Musiala, Sane; Fullkrug.
Bench: Ter Stegen, Trapp, Bella-Kotchap, Ginter, Schlotterbeck, Klostermann, Goretzka, Brandt, Gotze, Adeyemi, Hofmann, Havertz, Moukoko, Muller, Gunter.

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Costa Rica came into the tournament with a miserly reputation which Spain’s seven-goal glut obliterated. A cautious display against Japan began to piece that standing back together but Los Ticos have been toothless in this tournament.

Four German players individually have taken more shots than the entire Costa Rican squad combined across their two matches (four). The German contingent has struggled to convert these chances but the bevvy of opportunities which are falling the way of Flick’s side suggests they should have enough to overcome Costa Rica.

Whether that will be enough to make the knockouts, is out of Germany’s hands.

Prediction: Costa Rica 0-2 Germany

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Harry Symeou hosts Scott Saunders and Toby Cudworth to look back on South Korea/Japan ’02 as part of the ‚Our World Cup‘ series. We take a trip down memory lane – join us!

If you can’t see the podcast embed, click here to download or listen to the episode in full!