World Cup catch-up: Germany and Belgium eliminated, Japan stun Spain

Group F: Croatia 0-0 Belgium

• Belgium, one of the pre-tournament favourites, crash out of the World Cup

• A draw with Croatia and Morocco beating Canada sends Roberto Martínez’s team home. 

• Croatia, semi-finalists in 2018, will play Japan in the last 16.

Group F: Canada 1-2 Morocco

• Morocco win Group F after holding on to beat Canada.

• Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri put Morocco 2-0 up.

• But Nayef Aguerd’s own goal shortly before half-time brought Canada back into the game.

• Canada came agonisingly close to getting an equaliser when a header hit the bar and bounced down on the goal line in the closing stages of the second half. 

• Morocco will play Spain in the knockout phase of the World Cup.

Group E: Spain 1-2 Japan

• Japan has won against Spain 2-1 following goals from SC Freiburg winger Doan Ritsu and Fortuna Düsseldorf midfielder Ao Tanaka.

• Spain had kickstarted the match with an 11th minute goal from Atlético Madrid striker Álvaro Morata.

• Spain had been the clear favourite to win Thursday’s match against Japan, but so was Germany — and that didn’t end well for the European team.

• Japan started the World Cup with a surprise 2-1 win over Germany but followed up with a 1-0 loss to Costa Rica.

Group E: Costa Rica 2-4 Germany

• While four-time world champions Germany defeated Costa Rica 4-2, they have been eliminated from the World Cup.
• The German team won the match following one goal from Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry, another from Werder Bremen forward Niclas Füllkrug and two from Chelsea player Kai Havertz.
• Costa Rica scored two goals, one by Herediano player Yeltsin Tejeda and an own goal by Germany’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (initially attributed to Millonarios defender Juan Pablo Vargas).