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. Show
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. WORLD CUP GROUPS: World Cup Group E table
Group E schedule, results
MORE: 2022 World Cup Group standings 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 teamsSpainSpain 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.
MORE: Spain's final 26-man squad for the World Cup GermanyGermany failed to make amends for a nightmare showing when they attempted to defend their 2014 title in 2018 only to suffer elimination in the group stage. They took the field in Qatar with Hansi Flick at the helm. He replaced long-time coach Joachim Low who enjoyed many successful runs with the national team. The highlight of that era came as Germany lifted a fourth world title at Brazil 2014 and, after a disappointing European Championship campaign in 2021 marked Low’s farewell last year, Low's former assistant, Hansi Flick, is leading an exciting new generation keen to make amends.
MORE: Germany 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup JapanJapan’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 after finishing atop Group E. 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 were also strong in the lead-up to the tournament, beating off the challenge of Australia to qualify automatically from the Asian region. But it remains to be seen how well the Samurai Blue will fare when they come up against stronger opposition in the knockouts.
MORE: Japan 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Costa RicaCosta Rica made the most of their trip to Qatar after getting there via the intercontinental playoff after finishing fourth in North American 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. But that trio couldn't replicate the magic in Qatar. Bowing out from Group E at least provided a younger group with some valuable experience as the nation transitions from the older generation of players who gifted them some memorable moments, including once winning a World Cup group featuring Italy, England, and Uruguay in 2014.
MORE: Costa Rica's final 26-man squad for Qatar World Cup Group E odds and predictionsHere are the pre-tournament 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 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.
MORE WORLD CUP 2022: 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
Is Costa Rica out of the World Cup 2022?Germany are out of the 2022 World Cup despite a dramatic 4-2 win over Costa Rica. Japan's eventful win over Spain has eliminated Hansi Flick's side along with Costa Rica. Remarkably, Germany fell 2-1 behind to the South American team but came back to take the victory.
What teams are in Group C World Cup 2022?Group C of the 2022 FIFA World Cup took place from 22 to 30 November 2022. The group consisted of the national association football teams of Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland. The top two teams, Argentina and Poland, advanced to the round of 16.
What are the qualifying groups for World Cup 2022?FIFA World Cup 2022 Groups
Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, and the Netherlands. England, Iran, USA, Wales. Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Poland. France, Australia, Denmark, and Tunisia.
What is the hardest group in World Cup 2022?2022 World Cup: Group by Group Analysis & Predictions. Group A is considered the easiest group in the 2022 World Cup.. USA's Group B is one of the most difficult to qualify from.. Groups F and G could have some surprising results.. |