Germany, a four-time World Cup champion, was eliminated in the group stage Thursday when Group E finished with a chaotic pair of games. The Germans beat Costa Rica, 4-2, but Japan’s 2-1 win over Spain meant Japan and Spain made it through and Germany had failed to reach the knockout stage for the second consecutive World Cup. Group F shook out earlier, and Morocco was the unexpected group winner after a 2-1 victory over Canada. Croatia and Belgium finished in a scoreless draw, which meant Croatia made it through and Belgium was eliminated early.
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