The ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 has been nothing like the previous editions. From Asian teams dominating the global heavyweights to unusually long added minutes at the end of the usual one-and-a-half-hour match, Qatar 2022 has been an entertaining affair.
The Germany national football team’s campaign, in particular, hasn’t panned out according to their plans.
The Manuel Neuer-led side’s opening match against Japan ended on the wrong side of the 2-1 scoreline.
Having led at half-time through an Ilkay Gundogan penalty, the Japanese staged a stunning comeback in the second half with two goals in the last 15 minutes.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup winners weren’t looking lethal in their following match against Spain either.
Spain striker Alvaro Morata came off the bench in the second half to help his team lead 1-0 in the 62nd minute.
A second consecutive group exit was inevitable before the German substitute Niclas Fullkrug spared his team's blushes with an equaliser with seven minutes of the normal time to go.
At the end of two group stage matches, Die Mannschaft find themselves languishing at the bottom of Group E, with just one point from two fixtures.
FIFA World Cup 2022 Group E (As things stand)
| Team | Matches Played | Won | Draw | Lost | Goals scored | Goals conceded | Goal difference | Points |
| Spain | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 4 |
| Japan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Costa Rica | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 3 |
| Germany | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
The final group match against Costa Rica will decide Germany’s fate as nothing less than a win will keep their hopes alive in the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Since the final matches of each group are scheduled to begin at the same time, it will be a fascinating end to the group phase as the tide can turn in favour of a team with every goal scored.
Here’s how the 2014 champions Germany can qualify for the World Cup Round of 16:
How can Germany qualify for the Round of 16 in FIFA World Cup 2022?
To begin with, Germany must win their remaining match against Costa Rica. Anything less than a victory will end Hansi Flick-coached side’s hope of qualifying for the Round of 16 in FIFA World Cup 2022.
Moreover, the Spain vs Japan encounter would need to end in Spain’s favour. In such a case, Spain would finish on top with seven points and a German victory would see them seal the second position.
If the Japan national football team manages to salvage a draw and bag one point, then the goal difference will come into play.
In such a scenario, Germany would have to defeat Costa Rica by a margin of at least two goals, which will take their goal difference from -1 to +1, eliminating Japan in the process, whose GD will remain zero.
Featured image: Alamy
