Costa Rica v Germany, 01 December 2022

Kick-off: 10.00pm local (7.00pm GMT) . FIFA world ranking: Costa Rica 31, Germany 11 . At kick-off at this final group game, all four teams in Group E were still in with a chance of progressing to the knockout stage. . To qualify for the Round of 16, Germany knew they must win this game while Costa Rica only needed a draw if leaders Spain beat Japan in the other group game. However, Japan won 2-1 and qualified as group winners. Spain finished as runners-up above Germany on goal difference with Costa Rica finishing bottom-of-the-table. . After winning a fourth World Cup in 2014, Germany had now been eliminated in consecutive World Cup tournaments at the group stage. . Costa Rica failed in their attempt to win consecutive games at the World Cup finals for a second time (also against Uruguay and Italy in 2014). . Yeltsin Tejeda scored his first goal for Costa Rica in his 76th appearance for La Sele. . Costa Rica failed in their attempt to keep a clean sheet in consecutive games at the World Cup finals for a second time (also in 2014 versus Italy and England). . Costa Rica’s only win in their last 12 games at World Cup finals against UEFA nations remained as a 1-0 group stage victory against Italy in Recife in 2014 (lost six). . Germany had now won seven of their nine games of World Cup finals against CONCACAF nations. The only defeat was a group game against Mexico in Moscow in 2018. . Manuel Neuer made his 19th appearance at a World Cup finals; more than any other goalkeeper. . This was a repeat of the only previous meeting. Germany also won 4-2 in the opening game of the 2006 World Cup finals in Munich. . This was the first-ever game at the men’s World Cup finals to be refereed by an all-female team. Stéphanie Frappart (France) was supported by assistants Neuza Back (Brazil) and Karen Diaz (Mexico). .