World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E Final Standings: Who Qualified And Who Is Out?

World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E Final Standings: Who Qualified For The Round Of 16 And Who Is Out?

Japan and Spain have reached the knockout phase of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Spain and Germany were the two clear pre-tournament favorites in Group E of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but only one survived and it wasn’t as a first-place team.

Japan beat both European powers to claim first place in Group E. The Asian side fell behind both times, but rebounded in the second half for a 2-1 win on each occasion. Those six points were enough to overcome an unexpected trip against Costa Rica and clinch first place for the Japanese.

Joining them in the knockout stage was Spain, who edged out Germany on goal difference. Both sides beat Costa Rica, both lost to Japan, and they tied the head-to-head between them 1-1. That left them even on points, but since Spain beat Costa Rica 7-0 and Germany only managed a 4-2 win, the goal difference tiebreaker favored the Spanish.

Left out in the cold with the Germans were Costa Rica, who at point on the final day were in the top two spots after taking a momentary 2-1 lead over the Germans. They lost 4-2 to foil the miraculous qualification bid. But the world will remember the Ticos rebounding from a 7-0 opening-day loss to challenge for a spot in the knockouts although ultimately not succeeding.

Summary

Spain, Japan, Costa Rica and Germany all had hopes of qualifying for the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup ahead of a dramatic matchday three.

World Cup Group E came to a dramatic conclusion on Thursday, with all four teams in the group – Spain, Japan, Costa Rica and Germany – all harboring hopes of progressing to the 2022 World Cup round of 16. The big guns came out firing early on and it looked as if there would be no doubt about which two nations would occupy the top two spots come the final whistle. But soccer just isn’t that simple, is it?

Spain and Germany were in total control in the early stages but Japan and Costa Rica looked to be heading through at one point in the second period.

Japan shocked Germany in their opening group game, with a 2-1 victory against Hansi-Flick’s side the biggest win in their history…perhaps until their next 2-1 triumph, this time against Spain. At 1-0 down, and with the Germans a goal up, it looked as if the Japanese could be on their way home. But goals from Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka turned things around for Hajime Moriyasu’s men and they sensationally finished top of the group with six points and two massive scalps in the bag.

After demolishing Los Ticos by seven goals to nil in the opening game, Spain played out a 1-1 draw with Germany, which meant they weren’t totally assured of qualification before taking on Japan, who were just a point behind them in the table. An early header from Álvaro Morata appeared to have settled Spanish nerves but they slumped to a hugely disappointing 2-1 defeat and ended up depending on Germany coming from behind, which they did, against Costa Rica to sneak through in second spot on goal difference. Despite their 4-2 victory, the Germans, always one of the favorites to win the World Cup trophy, are on the way home.

Who has qualified for the round of 16 from Group E?

• Japan go through as Group E winners and are top seeds in the round of 16
• Spain go through as Group F runners-up but are unseeded in the round of 16
• Germany, for the second World Cup in a row, and Costa Rica fail to make it past the group stages

Who will Spain and Germany play in the round of 16?

Group E winners Japan will play Group E runners-up Croatia at Al-Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrahon Monday, 5 December 2022 (kick-off at 6pm Local Time).

Group E runners-up Spain will face Group F winners Morocco at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan on Tuesday, 6 December 2022 (kick-off at 6pm Local Time).

Standings

Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

In the round of 16:

• The winners of Group E, Japan, advanced to play the runners-up of Group F, Croatia.
• The runners-up of Group E, Spain, advanced to play the winners of Group F, Morocco.

Matches

Group E of the 2022 FIFA World Cup took place from 23 November to 1 December 2022. The group consisted of Spain, Costa Rica, Germany and Japan. The top two teams, Japan and Spain, advanced to the round of 16.

Germany 1-2 Japan

The two teams had faced each other twice, most recently in a 2006 friendly, which finished in a 2–2 draw. In the 33rd minute, Germany were awarded a penalty when Japan goalkeeper fouled David Raum. İlkay Gündoğan scored the penalty with a shot down the middle of the net with the goalkeeper diving to the right. In the 75th minute it was 1–1 when Ritsu Dōan scored, finishing a rebound to the net after Manuel Neuer had saved a low shot from the left. Japan went in front eight minutes later when Takuma Asano received the ball down the right wing before running into the penalty area and shooting high to the net from the right of the six-yard box. The result was the second consecutive time that Germany lost its opening World Cup match after losing 1–0 to Mexico in 2018.

Spain 7-0 Costa Rica

The Spaniards had met the Costa Ricans three times, all of them being friendly matches, with the most recent on Spanish soil: 5–0 in 2017.

Costa Rica tied their worst defeat ever, alongside another 7–0 defeat by Mexico in 1975.

Japan 0-1 Costa Rica

Japan had a history of four friendlies against Costa Rica, winning three and drawing one, with their most recent match being a 3–0 victory for the Japanese at Panasonic Stadium Suita on 11 September 2018. Japan dominated the game but Costa Rica went in front with nine minutes left. Keysher Fuller scored with a shot from the right which was deflected and misjudged by Japan goalkeeper Shūichi Gonda, it was the only goal in the game.

Spain 1-1 Germany

The teams had met four times in the World Cup, in Germany’s 2–1 group stage victory in 1966, 2–1 second group stage victory in 1982, a 1–1 group stage draw in 1994, and Spain’s 1–0 semi-final win in 2010. Dani Olmo shot a shot in the first half that Manuel Neuer turned onto the bar. In the 62nd minute substitute Álvaro Morata put Spain into the lead when he flicked Jordi Alba’s cross from the left into the net at the near post. With seven minutes to go, another substitute Niclas Füllkrug equalized for Germany when he lashed the ball with his right foot high past Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón from the right. Leroy Sane almost won it for Germany in the added time but the ball was eventually cleared from danger.

Japan 2-1 Spain

The two teams have faced each other once in 2001, a friendly game which Spain won 1–0. Japan scored a controversial second goal after the ball seemed to go out.

Costa Rica 2-4 Germany

The Germans have had only one match against Costa Rica, which served as the opening game for the 2006 FIFA World Cup they hosted. Germany beat their opponent 4–2. The Germans won again by the same score, although they were still edged out by Spain, with Germany being eliminated from the Group Stage for the second time in the World Cup, the first being in 2018.

WORLD CUP GROUPS:
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D
Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H

World Cup Group E table

Q = Qualified to Round of 16

E = Eliminated

Group E schedule, results

The four teams played a round-robin format with each nation facing the other three. Group standings were based on points from those three group-stage matches — three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss.

The top two teams from each group based on total points advanced to the single-game knockouts. If teams were tied on points, goal difference was the first tiebreaker, followed by goals scored. If teams were also tied in those categories another set of tiebreakers was applied.

World Cup Group E teams

Spain

Spain remain in something of a transitional phase heading into Qatar 2022, as they look to finally emulate the success last enjoyed on the global stage at the 2010 World Cup.

The emergence of prospects such as Pedri, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati bodes well for the future, but it remains to be seen whether Spain will be strong enough to go all the way in Qatar. That said, their 2021 Nations League run — where La Roja were only beaten in the final by France — is another good sign.

Coach Luis Enrique hasn’t been afraid to drop big names such as David de Gea and Sergio Ramos from his squad, with an emphasis on creativity likely to make Spain very difficult to defend against.

• Current FIFA world ranking: 7 (November 2022)
• Regional ranking: 5th (UEFA)
• World Cup titles: 1
• World Cup appearances (last): 15 (Russia 2018)
• How qualified: UEFA Group B winners: 6W-1L-1D
• Coach: Luis Enrique (Spain) since November 2019
• Key players: Pedri (Barcelona / Spain), Rodri (Manchester City / England), Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City / England)

Germany

Germany will be keen to make amends for a nightmare showing when trying to defend the title at the 2018 World Cup, as they enter a major tournament without Joachim Low for the first time in almost two decades.

Low served as assistant to Jurgen Klinsmann when Die Mannschaft plotted a path to the semifinals on home soil in 2006, before beginning his own acclaimed 15-year tenure as head coach.

The highlight of that era came as Germany lifted a fourth world title at Brazil 2014 and, after a disappointing European Championship campaign marked Low’s farewell last year, his former assistant, Hansi Flick, will lead an exciting new generation keen to make amends.

• Current FIFA world ranking: 11 (November 2022)
• Regional ranking: 9th (UEFA)
• World Cup titles: 4
• World Cup appearances (last): 19 (Russia 2018)
• How qualified: UEFA Group J winners: 9W-1L-0D
• Coach: Hansi Flick (Germany) since July 2021
• Key players: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich / Germany), Kai Havertz (Chelsea / England), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich / Germany)

Japan

Japan’s national team has never gone beyond the Round of 16 stage at the World Cup but will be hopeful of enjoying a lengthy run at this year’s tournament.

There is a lot of experience in their squad but there are also some talented young prospects, such as Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo. In addition, Japan boasts players with Premier League credentials, and many fans around the world will already be familiar with Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu and former Liverpool man Takumi Minamino.

Japan’s preparations for the tournament have gone well, having beaten off the challenge of Australia to qualify automatically in the AFC region, but it remains to be seen how well the Samurai Blue will fare when they come up against stronger opposition.

• Current FIFA world ranking: 24 (November 2022)
• Regional ranking: 2nd (AFC)
• World Cup titles:—
• World Cup appearances (last): 7 (Russia 2018)
• How qualified: AFC Third Round Group B winners: 7W-2L-1D)
• Coach: Hajime Moriyasu (Japan) since August 2018
• Key players: Takumi Minamino (Monaco / France), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal / England), Maya Yoshida (Schalke / Germany)

Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s fate was decided by the intercontinental playoff after finishing fourth in CONCACAF qualifying. International veterans Keylor Navas and Bryan Ruiz managed to top New Zealand 1-0 on a third-minute goal from former Arsenal striker Joel Campbell.

Costa Rica is taking a younger group to the World Cup as the nation transitions from an older generation of players who gifted them some magical moments, including once winning a World Cup group featuring Italy, England, and Uruguay in 2014. That probably won’t happen here.

• Current FIFA world ranking: 31 (November 2022)
• Regional ranking: 3rd (CONCACAF)
• World Cup appearances (last): 5 (Russia 2018)
• Coach: Luis Fernando Suarez (Colombia) since July 2021
• Key players: Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense / Costa Rica), Joel Campbell (Leon / Mexico), Celso Borges (Alajuelense / Costa Rica)

World Cup Group E odds and predictions

Here are the odds for each team to win and qualify from the group, with odds provided by Sports Interaction (correct as of November 2022).

Minus odds is what must be wagered to win $100 on that specific bet, while plus odds represent the winnings from a successful $100 wager.

The first-place and second-place finishers in Group E will move on to the Round of 16 and will face off against the two teams to advance from Group F on Monday, Dec. 5, and Tuesday, Dec. 6.

The official FIFA 2022 World Cup match schedule outlines the following knockout pairings for the Round of 16 through to the final:

World Cup Round of 16

World Cup Quarterfinals

World Cup Semifinals

World Cup 3rd Place

World Cup Final