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A few giants have fallen 🌟⚽️🏟️🏆

This World Cup continues to be full of unpredictable matches. Some of the top international teams coming into this tournament have underperformed. Then there have been teams such as #22 Morocco that were believed to have close to no chance, instead, proving the exact opposite to be true about them. Could #2 Belgium and #11 Germany somehow survive the group stage after failing to stay near the top of their groups?

Before we discuss details about Group E and F, let me first bring to your attention the fact that I've been writing posts like this one about every single World Cup match. Yesterday's article featured:

Australia🇦🇺 vs Denmark🇩🇰
Tunisia🇹🇳 vs France🇫🇷
Poland🇵🇱 vs Argentina🇦🇷
Saudi Arabia🇸🇦 vs Mexico🇲🇽

^{You can always go back and see that post if you need a refresher on what has been happening.}

I knew that Croatia and Belgium would have a heated exchange. Both teams were fighting for a chance to advance. Canada was already eliminated before their final match. Although Spain had already advanced, many still wondered if Japan/Costa Rica/Germany would be the second team to move on from this group.

Let's recap four more games from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar...

Croatia🇭🇷 vs Belgium🇧🇪

^{My Prediction: Croatia}

Croatia and Belgium both were aiming to win this match and advance to the knockout stage. Right as the first whistle blew, both teams went full speed. It was a very tough match for both nations. Croatia took a free kick in the 15th minute which resulted in a hard foul by Belgium inside of the box. After checking with VAR for a possible offsides call against Croatia, it was confirmed that a penalty would NOT be awarded.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598336068318814209?s=20&t=pMXeQxbm946OVPMMfZomyQ
- FOXSoccer

At the end of the half, the match was still without a single goal. Could either team awaken and score a much-needed goal? Early in the second half, there were a couple of hair-raising escapes for Croatia when Belgium's Lukaku failed to net two potential goals.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598351483707297792?s=20&t=AIJbetohwVfG9TqzNpXAag
- FOXSoccer

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598352435122098188?s=20&t=AIJbetohwVfG9TqzNpXAag
- FOXSoccer

Belgium continued to fight for the single goal that would keep them alive in this World Cup and they had many opportunities. Croatia on the other hand only needed to draw to advance to the next round. There was one more close call by Belgium, again by Lukaku, but in the end, neither team scored.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598359079520550918?s=20&t=NKhendBs8WnLgOYHd4kKlg
- FOXSoccer

https://twitter.com/brfootball/status/1598364058188644357?s=20&t=7QjU85wyviV9SDpRNA2bIA
- brfootball

Croatia may not have won Group F, but they did at least advance and will face Japan next. Belgium, despite being ranked #2 in the world coming into this tournament has been eliminated.

Result: 0-0 draw

Canada🇨🇦 vs Morocco🇲🇦

^{My Prediction: Morocco}

With Canada already eliminated after this match, their only hope was to leave this World Cup with at least one win. Morocco was not about to let that happen. Moroccon player Ziyech scored in the 4th minute when Canada's keeper got caught out of position, pretty embarrassing.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598332761244327938?s=20&t=3QLaAphjYyTA9e4gVsD-yQ
- FOXSoccer

Not long after the first goal, Morocco added another to the scoreboard in the 23rd minute. This one by En-Nesyri was much more impressive than the first.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598337502842130436?s=20&t=nhzQJ49D4Fs6cjpBfQUQ2w
- FOXSoccer

Canada refused to be embarrassed and continued to attack. Eventually, this rewarded their country with a goal. Morocco's Aguerd scored an own goal off of a deflection in the 40th minute.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598341885852094464?s=20&t=rkooKA9RGfp041CLGk-OFw
- FOXSoccer

Morocco thought that they had their 3rd goal of the match in added time at the end of the first half. It was revoked due to an offsides call. After this, no more balls crossed the line for a goal.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598343754573832195?s=20&t=eYwxYs4bckIRemC4dTnvmw
- FOXSoccer

Morocco is perhaps the biggest surprise of the tournament so far. This win just made them the top team in Group F and they will face Spain in the first round of the knockout stage. Canada goes home with zero points in their group, but at least they got their first World Cup goals ever.

Result: 1-2 in favor of Morocco

Japan🇯🇵 vs Spain🇪🇸

^{My Prediction: Spain}

This match was a must-win for Japan. Spain could have a draw and still move on, but a win was preferable. Spain wasted no time getting their first goal. Morata got his 3rd goal of this World Cup in the 12th minute of this match.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598395003591614464?s=20&t=B6d5oDguJ--Zx1vqSSHe7Q
- FOXSoccer

Despite a few more shots by Spain, no more goals were scored during the first half. By halftime, Spain have more than 80% of possession while Japan had less than 20%. Spain's passing and control were on another level. Luckily for Japanese fans, their team came out in the second half determined to get a goal. It was their substitute Ritsu Doan who scored his second goal of this World Cup in the 48th minute.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598408363959877657?s=20&t=0KjOvAfRK1znQzhhzgAOVA
- FOXSoccer

A few moments after that huge tying goal, Japan's Ao Tanaka scored their second and took the lead in the 51st minute. It was nearly taken away by VAR, but that somehow didn't happen. You have to see this miracle of a play, I'm not so sure that Japan should have been awarded this one.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598409313176981504?s=20&t=C8bxmqWps4h1muRG9OWRTQ
- FOXSoccer

#24 Japan might just be the king of second-half comebacks. This match makes two huge matches where they have to be down at halftime and then flipped the script in the final 45. Each one of those games was against top teams in this tournament #7 Spain and #11 Germany. Although Spain kept up their possession dominance, it still wasn't enough to give them a draw or win.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598420780269846529?s=20&t=CwQZzJu_MP2IY7kWMgb5VQ
- FOXSoccer

Japan has won Group E and will face Croatia in the first round of the knockout stage. Spain still manages to move forward, but they are no longer at the top of the group and will face Morocco next.

Result: 2-1 in favor of Japan

Costa Rica🇨🇷 vs Germany🇩🇪

^{My Prediction: Germany}

Germany absolutely had to win this match, otherwise, they would have to accept an early exit from this World Cup. Costa Rica too needed to win here. You know with a game with this much on the line for both teams, it was going to be a good one. Germany was the first to score and did so by way of a header. Gnabry knocked one in with his noggin in the 10th minute.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598394634857840650?s=20&t=RKDWToruy9qSIKu-R1c31w
- FOXSoccer

Costa Rica was dominated in all areas during the first half. Possession was 65% to the Germans. Shot attempts were equally uneven. 11 for Germany and only 1 for Costa Rica. Would the second half show us a similar performance from both teams? Costa Rica said "Hell no" to that idea. Yeltsin Tejeda scored for Costa Rica off a rebound in the 58th minute.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598410979741777922?s=20&t=9OX4f7U5h2fDC2w2TaE6Ig
- FOXSoccer

Germany was not willing to submit although they did finally concede a goal. Just take a look at this shot that should have been a second German goal. They were putting the heat on Costa Rica, but the average temperature in Costa Rica is 80°-90°, so they are used to it.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598413217054982144?s=20&t=AcHw_QBG-acMZnhzpbW10A
- FOXSoccer

Costa Rica somehow managed to fend off Germany long enough to give their team a chance to take the lead. They did exactly that in the 70th minute when Juan Pablo Vargas scored a goal during a chaotic situation following a free kick.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598413812209782785?s=20&t=x3KI1tQ9XXpKKyp3R4dvVQ
- FOXSoccer

Germany was enraged and evened the score immediately following Costa Rica's second goal. Germans can thank Kai Havertz for being in the right place at the right time in the 73rd minute.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598414555373355008?s=20&t=QBoQAKhfA51fVyfBv5_aKA
- FOXSoccer

Germany still needed more though, otherwise, they'd be eliminated. Costa Rica too needed to win this match. Despite anguish on both sides, it was Germany who managed to score another goal.

https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1598417412084342785?s=20&t=bJofwptk36lJbtI2QuaNzQ
- FOXSoccer

If you thought that Germany was finished after this, you'd be wrong. They got yet another goal, this one coming from Niclas Füllkrug in the 89th minute. It was too little too late though. Despite winning, Germany has been eliminated from the World Cup during the group stage just like they were in 2018. Costa Rica too will be going home having given up the most goals of any team throughout this tournament.

Yeltsin Tejeda Costa Rica live 120122.jpg

Result: 2-4 in favor of Germany

What a turn of events 😱

At the beginning of this World Cup, not many would have predicted that Belgium and Germany both would be eliminated during the group stage. I'm willing to go out on a limb and also say few assumed that Japan and Morocco would win their groups. The outcomes may come as a surprise, but nothing is guaranteed for any of the remaining teams. Now they must move forward to the knockout stage where it does or die.

^{Don't forget about the Hive account@hivebuzz World Cup contest @hivebuzz/wc2022}