Costa Rica has bought the last World Cup ticket and meets the German national team in the preliminary round.
Reunion after 16 years: Costa Rica has secured its last ticket to the World Cup in Qatar and another preliminary round duel with Germany.
The Central Americans beat New Zealand 1-0 (1-0) in the intercontinental play-off final and are the third opponent of the German national team on December 1st.
It will be the second meeting at a World Cup: In the 2006 summer fairy tale, Michael Ballack and Co. started the tournament with a 4-2 win over the Ticos in Munich.
At the Ar-Rayyan World Cup stadium in Qatar, Joel Campbell (3rd) scored the decisive goal for the team led by goalkeeper Keylor Navas from Paris St. Germain in their sixth World Cup participation.
Lots to do for Keylor Navas
Campbell brought the world number 31. an early lead when he successfully completed the favorite’s first attack after a cross from Jewison Bennette (3′).
The New Zealanders, World Cup participants in 1982 and 2010, responded with quite dangerous attacks – and Navas had to intervene much more often than his counterpart Oliver Sail.
The keeper of the French champions Paris St. Germain was powerless when Chris Wood scored to make it supposedly 1-1 (39th). But referee Mohammed Abdulla from the United Arab Emirates did not recognize the goal after video evidence because he had previously seen a foul by Matthew Garbett on Oscar Duarte.
New Zealand continues to push even when outnumbered
Even after the change of sides, the Ticos often found themselves on the defensive. Although New Zealand were outnumbered by the red card for substitute Kosta Barbarouses for gross foul play after renewed video evidence (69th), they continued to push for an equalizer.
Costa Rica, who lost on penalties in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands in Brazil 2014, had finished fourth in qualifying in North and Central America behind Canada, Mexico and the USA. New Zealand had prevailed in Oceania.
National coach Hansi Flick had refrained from observing on site. “Anyone who qualifies can potentially be dangerous for us,” said Flick on Monday. You will “analyze the opponent very carefully”.
At the World Cup finals in Qatar (November 21 to December 18), the DFB team will first meet Japan and Spain.