World Cup

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World Cup | Group Stage

Nov 27, 2022 at 10am UK

Japan
0 - 1
Costa Rica

Yamane (44'), Itakura (84'), Endo (90+3')

FT(HT: 0-0)

Fuller (81')
Contreras (41'), Borges (61'), Calvo (70')

Japan vs. Costa Rica: How do both squads compare ahead of World Cup clash?

By Joshua Ojele

Published: November 26 2022 | 23:38

Last updated: November 27 2022 | 11:45

Ahead of Sunday's World Cup meeting between Japan and Costa Rica, Sports Mole looks at how both squads compare, including their most valuable and top-scoring players.

Fresh off the back of a shock opening-day victory over Germany, Japan take on Costa Rica at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Sunday with a place in the knockout stages up for grabs.

Hajime Moriyasu's men pulled off one of tournament's upsets as they came from behind to stun Germany 2-1 in Wednesday's group opener courtesy of second-half goals from Ritsu Doan and former Arsenal forward Takuma Asano.

As for Costa Rica, they suffered their heaviest World Cup defeat as they were steamrolled 7-0 by Spain at the Al Thumama Stadium which saw their five-game unbeaten run come to an end.

Ahead of Sunday's meeting between Japan and Costa Rica, Sports Mole looks at how the squads of the two nations stack up against each other.

JAPAN

Japan players pose for a team group photo before the match in September 2022 © Reuters

Most valuable player:
Daichi Kamada (£26m)

Overall squad value:
£133.4m

Most capped player:
Yuto Nagatomo (134)

Leading goalscorer:
Takumi Minamino (17)

Total caps:
930

Total goals:
88

Oldest player:
Eiji Kawashima (39)

Youngest player:
Takefusa Kubo (21)

Average age:
27.8

SQUAD IN FULL

Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg), Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truidense)

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (Tokyo FC), Maya Yoshida (Schalke 04), Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Red Diamonds), Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale), Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart)

Midfielders: Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes), Wataru Endo (Stuttgart), Junya Ito (Reims), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting Lisbon), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad)

Forwards: Takuma Asano (Bochum), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge), Shuto Machino (Shonan Bellmare)

COSTA RICA

Costa Rica players pose for a team group photo before the match on November 9, 2022 © Reuters

Most valuable player:
Keylor Navas (£4.3m)

Overall squad value:
£16.2m

Most capped player:
Celso Borges (156)

Leading goalscorer:
Bryan Ruiz (29)

Total caps:
1,169

Total goals:
127

Oldest player:
Bryan Ruiz (37)

Youngest player:
Jewison Bennette (18)

Average age:
27.2

SQUAD IN FULL

Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (Paris Saint-Germain), Esteban Alvarado (Herediano), Patrick Sequeira (Lugo)

Defenders: Juan Pablo Vargas (Millonarios), Keysher Fuller (Herediano), Oscar Duarte (Al-Wehda), Bryan Oviedo (Real Salt Lake), Carlos Martinez (San Carlos), Francisco Calvo (Konyaspor), Kendall Waston (Saprissa), Ronald Matarrita (FC Cincinnati)

Midfielders: Daniel Chacon (Colorado Rapids 2), Celso Borges (Alajuelense), Jewison Bennette (Sunderland), Bryan Ruiz (Alajuelense), Gerson Torres (Herediano), Youstin Salas (Saprissa), Yeltsin Tejeda (Herediano), Brandon Aguilera (Nottingham Forest), Roan Wilson (Municipal Grecia), Douglas Lopez (Herediano), Anthony Hernandez (Puntarenas), Alvaro Zamora (Saprissa)

Forwards: Anthony Contreras (Herediano), Johan Venegas (Alajuelense), Joel Campbell (Leon)