The possibility of Spain and Germany returning home is not excluded! Costa Rica and Japan are rubbing their hands!
In the second round of the group stage, Spain and Germany drew and Costa Rica defeated Japan, the situation was complicated by the need to use mathematical models to predict as many as nine possibilities.
Spain points 4 points, Germany 1 point, Costa Rica and Japan, all 3 points.
Germany is the hardest, and must beat Costa Rica by more than 8 to ensure that it is not done.
And this possibility is too small.
Moreover, the Japanese team is not much better off than Germany, and against the Spanish team, it is difficult to say that the Japanese team can defeat the Spanish team even if they no longer scream and start as their main team.
Holding the draw is the bottom line for Japan, and at this point it remains to see the results of Germany and Costa Rica.
If Germany wins, it can't have too much goal difference, and that's a very complicated number.
If Germany loses, Japan goes home.
In the best case, Germany also draws, then Japan will qualify with Spain.
Costa Rica is likely to hold on to the draw, but it is definitely not willing to let Japan profit.
In short, the group is too complicated.
In the most extreme case, of course, Spain and Germany both go home.