Manuel Neuer expressed relief that Germany are "still alive" in the World Cup after they salvaged a 1-1 draw with Spain on Sunday.

Germany's hopes of reaching the round of 16 suffered a shock blow when they lost their first match against Japan.

Yet Costa Rica responded to a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Spain by beating Japan 1-0 to leave all to play for in Group E's final games.

Alvaro Morata put Spain ahead in the battle between the Group E heavyweights at Al Bayt Stadium, but Germany's Niclas Fullkrug came off the bench to equalise and secure his team's first point.

In order to progress, Hansi Flick's Germany side must beat Costa Rica in their last group match on Thursday and hope Spain do them a favour against Japan.

Goalkeeper Neuer, who denied Dani Olmo an early goal when he palmed his shot against the crossbar, is just pleased Germany still have a chance of avoiding a second successive World Cup exit at the group stage.

"It was a tough match against a very good Spain side," said the Germany captain. "We took on the fight and didn't allow them many chances over the 90 minutes.

"Our defensive work was superb from front to back. Our compactness made it difficult for them to score a goal against us. Their goal was simply quality and very hard to defend against. Nevertheless, we continued to believe in ourselves.

"The main thing is that we're still alive. The thing we can have influence over is getting three points against Costa Rica."

Fullkrug only made his full international debut earlier this month and scored his first competitive goal for Germany in a cameo appearance after being given a late call-up to the squad.

The 29-year-old Werder Bremen striker said: "We were determined to get a result from the game, and it was very important for our confidence.

"We still have room for improvement. We don't need to get carried away, but we can go into the final game with hope that we can make it through."

Luis Fernando Suarez is relieved his Costa Rica team can "still dream" after they sealed a vital 1-0 win against Japan at the World Cup on Sunday.

Coming off the back of a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Spain in their opening game, Keysher Fuller's 81st-minute strike against the run of play at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium handed Costa Rica a win that gives them a chance of advancing to the knockout stage in Qatar.

Los Ticos became the first team to concede seven goals in a game and then win their next match at the World Cup since Paraguay in 1958 (lost 7-3 to France, won 3-2 against Scotland).

Head coach Suarez said he did not want to discuss "tactics or technical aspects" of the win as he praised his team at his post-match press conference.

"I believe the main thing was our ability to do such amazing things," he said. "I'm not going to talk about tactical or technical aspects, today I need to value and appreciate what they have done to get this result.

"We had to face many challenges but we firmly believed and wanted to be 100 per cent committed for our country to play well against a strong opponent like Japan.

"We are alive [in the group], that is the main thing and no-one can forget about us yet. We can still dream."

Fuller was the hero, with his goal the only shot Costa Rica have had on target in the tournament so far, and the 28-year-old added: "The main thing was to keep ourselves alive and to win, and we managed to do so.

"We were in pain after the Spain defeat, but now we took a weight off our shoulders. We are a group that wants to achieve great things."

Japan struggled to reproduce the form that saw them shock Germany in their opening game in Qatar, but the Samurai Blue still dominated large parts of the game, having 13 shots to Costa Rica's four and recording an expected goals (xG) rate of 0.8 to their opponents' 0.1.

Head coach Hajime Moriyasu was left disappointed but stated in his press conference that his team will go into their final Group E clash against Spain with confidence.

"It wasn't a bad match," he insisted. "In the second half we were trying to control the game and if we could have had total control, we would have won, but it didn't happen.

"We beat Germany but that does not mean we will beat Spain. Both countries are World Cup winners, we have a lot of respect for them.

"The Spain match will be tough but I think there is a good chance for us to win, so we have to prepare and go with confidence."

Costa Rica produced a late smash and grab to beat Japan 1-0 on Sunday, giving themselves and Germany a potential route back into the World Cup in the process.

A listless contest that looked set to become the sixth stalemate of the tournament so far finally produced something of note when Keysher Fuller curled a shot into the top-left corner with nine minutes remaining.

Japan had largely been the better side, particularly in the second half, but Costa Rica took the lead with their first shot on target of the tournament.

The result leaves both teams on three points heading into the final games, with Germany now in with a chance of progressing to the knockout stage with a win against Costa Rica in their final game whatever their result against Spain later on Sunday.

The only real moment of note in a tentative first half came when Ritsu Doan fizzed a low ball across the six-yard box from the right, but there were no Japan players on hand to get on the end of it.

Takuma Asano came on at half-time and the change nearly yielded an immediate impact as his touch to Hidemasa Morita 25 seconds into the second period led to the latter having the first shot on target of the contest, with Keylor Navas diving to his left to palm it away.

Japan showed more intent to go and win the game in the second half, with Yuki Soma first cutting inside from the left and firing high and wide, before putting a free-kick from the edge of the box over the bar.

The surprise moment came in the 81st minute though as a poor Japan clearance saw the ball come to Yeltsin Tejeda, who played in Fuller to shoot, with Japanese goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda getting stuck under the ball and failing to keep it out.

Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez will be hoping his direct approach pays off when his side take on Japan on Sunday.

Spain thrashed Costa Rica 7-0 on Wednesday in one of the standout results of the World Cup's early games.

Costa Rica conceded as many goals in that match as they had across their previous eight games at the tournament combined. They also failed to have a single shot against Spain, just the second instance of a side failing to have an attempt on goal in a World Cup match since 1966, after Costa Rica themselves against Brazil in 1990.

Japan, meanwhile, shocked Germany by winning 2-1 in the other Group E game. 

Costa Rica have never beaten Japan, losing three of their four previous meetings.

Asked what his side needed to do to address their defeat against Spain, Suarez's message was simple.

He told reporters: "I'll have to be very direct – we did a lot wrong, we made mistakes, and I think we should all be very clear about what our mistakes have been, starting with myself, my tactical responsibility.

"When we've done all this, we have to forget about the result. It will be very difficult. But we do have players who are good enough to play differently.

"We have to improve a great deal. We need to take on that responsibility and the blame, but also the way to move on is by focusing on positive results and to forget about [the Spain] defeat."

Suarez did, feel, however, that even though his side underperformed against Spain the result was a harsh reflection of their display.

"Spain were the much better team. But this was one of those games where everything happened in a completely different way than what you'd expect," he added.

"Yes, they were much better, but not by a difference of seven goals."

After beating Germany, Japan are looking to win back-to-back World Cup matches for the first time since 2002 (v Russia and Tunisia), while they have never won both of their first two fixtures of a single edition at the finals.

Indeed, victory on Sunday for Japan could see them through to the last 16, should Germany fail to beat Spain.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Japan – Takuma Asano

Takuma Asano scored a brilliant winner against Germany, sealing a famous victory for Japan.

Asano had five of Japan's 12 shots in the match – no other player had more than one.

Only Shinji Kagawa has ever had more attempts in a single World Cup match for Japan (six vs Colombia in 2014).

Costa Rica – Keylor Navas

Keylor Navas has been one of Europe's best goalkeepers over much of the past decade, but he had a shocker against Spain.

The Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper will be determined to right those wrongs and help Costa Rica claim a clean sheet as the basis for a win to keep their hopes alive.

He is one of three Costa Rica players who could make their 10th World Cup appearance, along with Celso Borges and Bryan Ruiz.

PREDICTION

Costa Rica's heavy defeat to Spain means they have been given just a 13.4 per cent chance of winning this game by Opta.

The likelihood of a Japan victory is rated at 66.6 per cent, with a 20 per cent chance of a draw.

Luis Enrique described Gavi's abilities as "out of the ordinary" following his scintillating World Cup debut for Spain.

Barcelona teenager Gavi marked his major tournament bow by scoring an exquisite volley as Luis Enrique's team thrashed Costa Rica 7-0 on Wednesday, becoming the third-youngest goalscorer in World Cup history.

Only Brazil great Pele in 1958 (17 years, 239 days) and Mexico's Manuel Rosas in 1930 (18 years, 93 days) have hit the net at the tournament when younger than Gavi, who did so at the age of 18 years and 110 days.

Asked about Gavi's abilities during a Twitch livestream on Thursday, Luis Enrique said: "It's not very normal, it's something out of the ordinary. 

"We all realise how difficult it is to do it at the age that he does it.

"He has good defensive appreciation. Controlling his energy is one of the things Gavi is improving. Hopefully that impetus helps him to win many balls."

Spain's second Group E fixture sees them take on Hansi Flick's Germany in a heavyweight contest on Sunday, with Die Mannschaft reeling following their surprise defeat to Japan.

Depending on the result of Japan's meeting with Costa Rica earlier on Sunday, another Spain victory could see them condemn the four-time winners to a group-stage exit, and Enrique expects to make changes to his starting line-up.

"I hardly repeat an eleven. It's hard for me. There will surely be some changes," Enrique said. "They train so well that now anyone could play with a total guarantee of a good performance. 

"Today we analysed the Germany-Japan match, and we take into account its characteristics to find the players in the best shape."

Luis Enrique believes Gavi will become one of the "stars of football" after the teenager scored his first World Cup goal as Spain thrashed Costa Rica 7-0 on Wednesday.

Gavi netted the fifth goal in a one-sided clash, getting on the end of an Alvaro Morata pass to fire in off the right post with 16 minutes remaining.

Aged 18 years and 110 days, it made him the youngest player to score at a World Cup for any nation since Pele (17y 249d) for Brazil in the 1958 final against Sweden.

At a press conference after the Group E victory, La Roja head coach Luis Enrique was asked just how good the Barcelona midfielder can be.

"I don't know, I hope he's going and playing every time better and trying to be aggressive with and without ball," he said. 

"He's unique, very different because he's 18 now, but he has the personality of an experienced player.

"It is a pleasure to play with the boy, because he is a boy. He needs a bit of calm sometimes but we are very happy to have him in the team.

"I think he's going to be one of the stars of football."

Sunday will see Spain's second game in Qatar against Germany, who were surprisingly beaten 2-1 by Japan earlier on Wednesday.

Luis Enrique is not concerned about Spain potentially being complacent when they face Germany after opening their World Cup campaign with a 7-0 hammering of Costa Rica.

Spain were dominant from start to finish as they recorded their biggest World Cup win ever at Al Thumama Stadium on Wednesday.

Costa Rica failed to register a single shot, with this just the second instance of a team managing zero shots in a World Cup game since 1966.

La Roja's demolition job came a matter of hours after Group E rivals Germany suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Japan.

Spain face Hansi Flick's side at Al Bayt Stadium on Sunday in a game that will go a long way to determining who progresses to the knockout stages.

After battering Costa Rica, it was put to Luis Enrique that his team might suffer from over-confidence, but the coach insists that is not a concern.

"We have to understand the head is important for everything," he said when asked specifically about managing the team's mentality.

"We've been working with a psychologist a long time, we were seen as aliens for doing that at first.

"I know these players, they are competitive, they won't be relaxed for the next game. We'll play exactly the same against Germany. If they beat us then we have to say they are better than us, that's it.

"I have no doubt whatsoever, we will be as competitive, or even more because Germany is an amazing team and this would really encourage us.

"Yes, euphoria can be negative and speculation too, but that's not in our DNA [to be impacted by that], we are living this with so much intensity.

"There may be changes but I trust all players. If there are changes it won't be because we think we are already qualified."

The mood of Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez could not have been more different.

Unsurprisingly, this was Los Ticos' biggest World Cup defeat, and Suarez did not sugarcoat how he felt about what was – in football terms – a disastrous day.

"I'm feeling very sad. It's not just about that, also I had very different expectations for this game and my feelings were completely different ahead of the game, now I'm not feeling okay," he said.

"I need to work with this result and be very sure with the players about how to lift the mood.

"I'm really worried my team won't cope with this terrible result. We have to leave this behind us and start working as of [Thursday] morning to show the players – they already know this – that we have to remember about Japan and try to win that match."

Gavi marked becoming Spain's youngest player at a major tournament with a goal in an emphatic 7-0 win over Costa Rica as La Roja began their Qatar 2022 campaign in record style.

Group E rivals Germany suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Japan earlier on Wednesday, but Spain did not look under any threat after Dani Olmo gave them an 11th-minute lead.

That was La Roja's 100th World Cup goal and another two followed inside the opening 31 minutes through Marco Asensio's strike and a Ferran Torres penalty.

Torres doubled his tally early in the second half and Gavi then steered in a delightful volley, before substitutes Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata added two more late on in Spain's record win at the tournament.

Spain were well on top when Olmo controlled a deflected Gavi pass and lifted the ball over Keylor Navas for La Roja's earliest World Cup goal since 2002.

Costa Rica struggled to get a foot on the ball and were two goals down with less than a quarter of the game played as Asensio swept home Jordi Alba's left-sided cross.

Alba was also involved in the third goal, the full-back being felled by a clumsy Oscar Duarte challenge in the box for Torres to put Spain out of reach with his casual spot-kick.

Torres slotted under Navas after some poor defending from Costa Rica and Gavi then got himself on the scoresheet with an outside-of-the-boot volley off the post.

Soler guided goal number six out of Navas' reach and fellow substitute Morata exchanged passes with Olmo before firing in to round off a superb Spain display.
 

What does it mean? Scintillating showing from Spain

Following shock defeats for Argentina and group rivals Germany in the opening round of games, Spain used this opener to put on a display and send out a message.

They scored seven goals in a World Cup match for the first time, with this the 2010 winners' biggest ever win in the competition.

Costa Rica were poor and become only the second side since records began in 1966 to fail to register a shot – the other instance being... Costa Rica against Brazil in 1990.

Torres torments Costa Rica

Torres scored at least twice as many goals in qualifying (four) than any other Spain player and he brought that form into the tournament with his double.

The Barcelona forward is the third player to score twice on his World Cup debut for Spain after David Villa (v Ukraine in 2006) and Jose Iraragorri (v Brazil in 1934).

Gavi behind only Pele

Both sides named their youngest ever players in a World Cup match – Gavi (18 years, 110 days) for Spain and Jewison Bennette (18y, 161d) for Costa Rica.

While winger Bennette managed just two passes in his hour on the pitch, Gavi became the youngest scorer in a World Cup match since Pele (17y 249d) in the 1958 final.

What's next?

Spain face fellow heavyweights Germany, who enter that game needing a result, while Costa Rica take on Japan in Sunday's other Group E match.

Gavi marked becoming Spain's youngest player at a major tournament with a goal in an emphatic 7-0 win over Costa Rica as La Roja kicked off their Qatar 2022 campaign in style.

Group E rivals Germany suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Japan earlier on Wednesday, but Spain did not look under any threat after Dani Olmo gave them an 11th-minute lead.

That was La Roja's 100th World Cup goal and another two followed inside the opening 31 minutes through Marco Asensio's strike and a Ferran Torres penalty.

Torres doubled his tally early in the second half and Gavi then steered in a delightful volley, before substitutes Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata added two more late on.

No other nation has lost more World Cup opening matches than Spain's seven, and head coach Luis Enrique will be hoping his side do not miscue once again against Costa Rica in Group E on Wednesday.

Spain have not returned to a major tournament final since winning two European Championships and a World Cup between 2008 and 2012.

But a new generation of exciting youngsters is inspiring hopes of a return to those glory days, with players such as Pedri and Ansu Fati providing a new spark.

Spain's youngest ever World Cup goalscorer was a 22-year-old Fernando Torres at the 2006 edition, but a range of players could break that in Qatar.

Luis Enrique made 12 World Cup appearances for Spain as a player between 1994 and 2002, though he never made it past the quarter-final.

He hopes to get further than that as their head coach though, telling reporters: "Our goal is to play seven games in Qatar."

Marco Asensio could be in line to feature after an impressive display in friendly victory over Jordan, with Luis Enrique saying: "He [Asensio] has been at another level, excellent.

"With that attitude, with the quality he has, he can play wherever."

Wednesday's opponents Costa Rica have won just five World Cup matches, though three of those came in their opening game of the tournament.

Costa Rica head coach Luis Fernando Suarez was full of praise for his Spain counterpart's style of play, but also feels his side are ready to put in a competitive display.

"He [Luis Enrique] is a great coach," Suarez said. "Despite everything that happens, Spain will always play the same way.

"We've been in World Cup mode for a long time. The group is feeling pretty good and is willing to give everything."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Spain – Ferran Torres

Ferran Torres scored four times for Spain in qualifying for the tournament in Qatar, at least twice more than any other player, and Luis Enrique will be hoping the Barcelona forward continues that goalscoring form in this opening match.

Costa Rica – Bryan Ruiz

Ruiz has featured in eight World Cup matches for Costa Rica, the second most of all time behind Christian Bolanos' nine appearances. If the 37-year-old plays at this tournament, the former Fulham man would become the oldest player to feature for Costa Rica at a World Cup. 

PREDICTION

While Spain's record in World Cup opening matches is shaky, they should have more than enough quality to get past Costa Rica at Al Thumama Stadium on Wednesday.

According to Stats Perform's AI model, Luis Enrique's side have a 82.7 per cent chance of winning the game, compared to Costa Rica's 5.4 per cent. There could be a few early nerves from Spain in many of their players' first World Cup experience, so the 11.9 per cent possibility of the teams drawing is not out of the question.

Luis Enrique expressed sorrow for removing Jose Gaya from Spain's World Cup squad but insisted he made the right call despite Valencia apparently claiming the left-back's injury was minor.

Gaya was cut from the Spain selection last week after suffering an ankle injury in training, and although media reports at the time suggested his recovery would only be brief, Luis Enrique replaced him with Barcelona's Alejandro Balde.

After returning home, Spanish publication AS reported Gaya's club quickly declared him fit.

But when Luis Enrique addressed the media on Tuesday ahead of Spain's World Cup opener against Costa Rica, the coach was adamant Gaya's injury would have ruled him out for a chunk of the group stage at least.

For the Spain coach, doing without a player for so long was non-negotiable.

"With regard to Gaya, it happens everywhere," Luis Enrique told reporters. "I have to make decisions.

"If I followed my heart based on his professionalism, he'd be here, but I can't make decisions based on my heart. I have to use mind.

"In three games he'd not have been able to play 100 per cent. I have to make the best decision for the whole team and the whole country. Imagine if I'd listened to Valencia or what Gaya wanted, which was normal, and then imagine if [Jordi] Alba is injured.

"We'd start the World Cup with no left-back, then imagine what you'd say about me. You'd ask why we risked the situation.

"My mind said I should make the best decision for the team, and there's no doubt the best is to have two fully fit full-backs for the World Cup."

Luis Enrique's explanation did not satisfy everyone in attendance, with the former midfielder pressed on why he could not have just played someone else slightly out of position.

But Luis Enrique did not believe that was an option.

"No, you might not believe this, but I can't keep waiting for someone [to be fit], because no one else will be able to adapt to demands of left-back," he added.

"A winger can act as a wing-back at times, but left-back is unfortunately the only position I cannot wait for.

"If it happened to a centre-back, I'd wait, but I only have two players for the left-back position. I'm truly, deeply sorry for Gaya, I really like him, he's a great guy and he has had very bad luck, but I have to think with my mind what a coach should do.

"He's been unfortunate with the injury, he did it while crossing, and it was something I'd never seen before. But I'm sure he'll get something positive in future."

Luis Enrique was followed by Spain captain Sergio Busquets, who at 34 is the elder statesman in La Roja's squad.

Spain's group is among the youngest at the tournament, with six of their players aged 20 or younger.

But Busquets does not believe the younger players' age makes them any less competent.

Asked about the presence of his Barcelona team-mates Pedri and Gavi, Busquets said: "They are very young players, but they've received awards already and they are very well known in spite of their age.

"But they are here as part of the national team to contribute as they can. If the coach decides to field them, then it's a collective group - it's not about individual talent.

"But obviously, having players who are so skilled is great."

Keylor Navas will be fit to face Spain in Wednesday's World Cup Group E opener, says Costa Rica assistant manager Ronald Gomez.

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Navas has not featured for Christophe Galtier's side in Ligue 1 this season, acting as deputy to Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma.

A lower-back issue for Navas raised fears the 35-year-old would not recover in time for Qatar, before Costa Rica's sole World Cup warm-up game scheduled for Thursday against Iran was cancelled.

The former Real Madrid keeper will still be capable of featuring against Spain, though, according to Luis Fernando Suarez's assistant Gomez.

"We already know all about Keylor Navas, we won't doubt him now as we know his capacity," Gomez said on Saturday. 

"He has had some pain in his back, but it is already solved, so we now expect him to play in the matches and offer what he has always given to us, which is reliability and good management of games."

The experienced Suarez will go to a third edition of FIFA's top competition with a different nation, but has come under some scrutiny for selecting 37-year-old Bryan Ruiz.

Gomez assured Ruiz was selected on merit, though, after doubts were cast on the choice to pick Costa Rica's second-most capped player.

"Everybody knows him. We all know what Bryan represents to this national team and our football history," Gomez added. 

"He is here deservedly, and the coach is right in selecting him here in order to [give him the chance to] retire from the national team, for whom he has given so much, because of the story he has had in our football and the international football star he has been.

"He deserves to be here, he's earned it, it is not a gift from our coach. He has the quality, although we will have to see how many minutes he is capable of playing. But for me, to bring Bryan here is perfect."

Suarez's side have won just two of their last 13 games at the World Cup (D5 L6) and are without victory in their last six at the tournament (D4 L2) – their longest winless run.

Yet, three of Costa Rica's five wins at the World Cup have come in their opening game, as they prepare to face Luis Enrique's talented Spain.

Costa Rica cancelled their World Cup warm-up match against Iraq due to an issue over passports.

Luis Fernando Suarez's side were set for one final test before they begin their Group E campaign against Spain in Qatar next Wednesday.

Ahead of travelling to the Gulf State on Friday, Costa Rica had been staying in Kuwait, with the intention to cross into Iraq for Thursday's friendly.

But having travelled to the border on Wednesday, a request to have their passports not stamped was not honoured by local authorities, forcing them to return to their camp.

"The match against Iraq was suspended," Costa Rica's Football Federation stated.

"An agreement that was made with the non-stamping of passports was not respected and for this reason it was decided not to enter Iraq and cancel the match."

Costa Rica are competing in their third consecutive tournament, having reached a best-ever finish at Brazil 2014 by progressing to the quarter-finals.

A dismal Russia 2018 campaign saw them eliminated in the group stages, with Suarez's side likely to face a tough test in a group that also contains Japan and Germany.

Reggae Girlz coach Lorne Donaldson insists the team was prepared for a battle of attrition with Costa Rica after several recent close encounters between the teams.

A second-half extra-time goal from Kalyssa van Zanten secured a 1-0 win for Jamaica in a hard-fought encounter against their Central Americans in the third-place playoff.  The win capped off a successful tournament for the Jamaicans who secured third place and with it a chance to qualify for the 2024 Olympics.

Having successfully secured a spot in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Jamaicans will now have the chance to make more history when they face defending champions Canada in a home-and-away play-off next year.  Getting past Costa Rica proved to be a challenge. 

“We knew it was going to be a very tight game.  Every time we play Costa Rica it comes down to the second half or overtime so we figured if we could get some speed on the field late on, we could get something, and Kiki came on and had a good finish,” Donaldson said.

The last 6 matches between the teams have been decided by a 1-0 score line with Costa Rica winning 3 of the matches with one draw.  The coach was also full of praise for the young goal scorer.

“She’s been in a few games she’s a rookie, she’s a young player so she got over excited but this game she was calmer.  When we looked in her eyes when I spoke to her, I told her you to have a goal in your boot and gave her some confidence but she has been growing confident.”

Kalyssa Van Zanten's goal in extra-time strike earned Jamaica's Reggae Girlz a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica to secure third place in the CONCACAF Women’s Championships in Mexico on Monday night.