WAS this the same Japan that beat the mighty Germany in the first match?

You couldn’t be blamed for wondering after Sunday’s lacklustre first half display against Costa Rica that bore no resemblance to the energetic and creative thrust of Japan’s previous engagement.

A decision to change the formation and, by default, the tactics didn’t help their aspirations of a second win that would surely have put them through the group stages.

Half-time changes almost paid immediate dividends as the men from the land of the rising sun had two shots and two corners in as many minutes, Keylor Navas in goal saving his Central American teammates early embarrassment.

For a team without a win or a goal to their name, the lack of do-or-die effort on the part of the Costa Ricans was surprising; this was their one and only chance of staying in the competition.

Instead, Japan continued to pile on second stanza pressure, but with no end product.

On the hour mark, Endo was fouled at the edge of the box.  Soma lined it up but drove it into the wall.

Soon after, Ito was pulled down in the D, close to penalty territory. Calvo saw yellow and this time Kamada took the responsibility but, once again, it was just another kick in the wall.

A later Ito cross proved just too high for Kamada’s leap as Japan’s relentless attack continued.

But the football gods are fickle and in the 80^th minute Costa Rica touched the ball for only the second time inside the Japanese box.

Fuller picked his spot and bent it left-footed into the far top corner past a fully extended Gonda in goal.

That’s the way it ended – a far cry from the 7-0 thumping they got from Spain in the first game.

However, the result showed the huge gulf between Spain and the rest of the group – apart, perhaps, from Germany, who they face in the late Sunday game.

Should Germany win, all four teams in the group will be on three points!