Costa Rica punch final World Cup ticket - In a group with Germany & Spain

Costa Rica have become the 32nd and final team to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Concacaf nation will be in a group with Germany, Spain, and Japan. The team led by star goalkeeper Keylor Navas managed a narrow 1-0 victory over New Zealand at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadion in Ar-Rayyan. 

Despite having the majority of the chances, the All Whites could not follow their neighbors Australia, who qualified just 24 hours earlier beating Peru in the intercontinental playoffs. The decisive goal was scored in the third minute by Joel Campbell. New Zealand was also a man down for the last 20 minutes after Kosta Barbarouses was sent off with a straight red card. 

With just 160 days to go until the opening game between host Qatar and Ecuador, the list of teams is now complete. Costa Rica have qualified for their sixth World Cup—the Central American nation managed to reach the quarterfinal in 2014. In 2006, Costa Rica opened the World Cup against host Germany but lost that game 2-4.