Costa Rica vs Germany: 2022 World Cup, Group Stage Match Preview, and Dream11 Predictions

Costa Rica vs Germany is next as Costa Rica faces four-time champions Germany on Thursday evening for their final World Cup group game.

Match Details:

• Location: Al Kohr, Qatar
• Stadium: Al Bayt Stadium
• Date: Thursday 2 December
• Kick-off Time: 12:30 Am IST
• Watch: Sports 18/HD, Jio Cinema App

Costa Rica vs Germany: Match Preview:

Wounded Germany will have their backs to the wall when they take on Costa Rica in their final World Cup Group E match on Thursday and know they must bag their first win of the tournament, preferably by a large margin, to have any chances of advancing.

The Germans are bottom of the group having gained only one point from their two matches so far, raising the spectre of another first-round exit following their early elimination in Russia four years ago.

Even victory over the Costa Ricans may not be enough, and Germany will be looking to Spain to inflict defeat on Japan to open the door to the next round. A draw between Spain and Japan — or a win for Japan — would bring goal difference into play, if Germany does defeat Costa Rica.

Spain top the group on four points ahead of Japan and Costa Rica, both on three.

Scoring has not been a strong point for German coach Hansi Flick's team but centre forward Niclas Fuellkrug's excellent run for club and country in recent months has improved their prospects. The 29-year-old, an unlikely addition to the squad prior to the tournament, snatched a late equaliser against Spain after coming on as a substitute to keep their hopes alive going into the final group match.

The burly striker is now a serious option to lead the line on Thursday with many German pundits and fans demanding he start.

Team News:

Costa Rica:

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.

Germany:

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.

Costa Rica vs Germany: Head to Head:

The two teams have met just once, with that meeting coming in the group stage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Germany, who were the hosts for that edition, recorded a 4-2 win.

Germany are one of just four European teams in the 2022 FIFA World Cup without a win to their name after two rounds of group games - alongside Wales, Serbia, and Denmark.

Costa Rica have just one win in their last six games at the World Cup, failing to score in four of these games.

Predicted Line-ups:

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.

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.

CRC vs GER: Dream11 Predictions:

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