Japan suffered a 0–1 defeat to Costa Rica on Sunday, 27 November 2022, at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Group Stage match, Matchday 2, kicked off at 10:00 UTC with English referee M. Oliver in charge. The score was 0–0 at half-time, but Costa Rica found the decisive goal in the second half to claim a vital three points.

The result was a crushing blow for Japan’s hopes of advancing from Group E. After opening the tournament with a stunning 2–1 victory over Germany, this loss meant Japan squan...