Japan celebrates throughout a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match towards Germany at Khalifa International Stadium on Nov. 23, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.
Brad Smith | ISI Photos | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
Japan surprised Germany with a late comeback of their World Cup opener, with objectives from Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano seeing them win 2-1 on the Khalifa International Stadium.
Japan had by no means beforehand overwhelmed their European opponents, however they capitalized on German errors and missed probabilities to safe a well-known victory within the first sport of Group E.
Striker Thomas Muller mentioned after the sport: “It is ludicrous that we are here with a defeat. We played a good game over long periods of time but a game is also marked by the chances that you convert into goals.”
Japan had an early ‘aim’ from Daizen Maeda dominated out for offside too, however Hansi Flick’s aspect quickly went forward after a careless problem from goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda on David Raum gave them a penalty and Ilkay Gundogan slotted house from the spot (33).
Germany thought that they had scored a second on the finish of the primary half, however Kai Havertz’s strike was additionally dominated out for offside.
The four-time World Cup winners continued to see probabilities come and go — Gundogan hitting the put up on the hour — earlier than Japan used their lightning fast assault to attain twice late on.
Did you realize?
- Germany have not misplaced a World Cup match when main at half-time since 1978.
Four minutes after approaching instead, Doan (75) turned house from shut vary after a Manuel Neuer save. Germany have been then caught out with a ball excessive, permitting Asano (83) to smuggle the ball house on a decent angle.
Ritsu Doan of Japan scores their 1st aim throughout the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match towards Germany at Khalifa International Stadium on Nov. 23, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.
Marc Atkins | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
Each Japan aim was greeted with a staff bundle on the nook flag, and there have been joyous celebrations at full-time. “It’s a big surprise. We saw the Saudi victory over Argentina – the Asian countries are reaching the global standard,” Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu mentioned.
For Germany, their poor World Cup kind continues, having completed backside of their group on the 2018 event.
How Japan secured a well-known victory
Japan began brightly and had the ball within the web inside seven minutes. Gundogan was muscled off the ball in midfield earlier than Junya Ito drove down the best flank. Maeda then slotted house his cross, however he was a yard offside.
Germany quickly started to seek out their ft and had a string of probabilities after the 20-minute mark. Joshua Kimmich noticed his effort from distance palmed away by Gonda earlier than Gundogan skied the rebound. The Man City midfielder then noticed an effort go straight at Gonda, earlier than one other try a minute later was well-blocked.
Big moments within the sport…
- seventh min: Maeda’s early aim dominated out for offside.
- thirty second min: Germany awarded penalty after Gonda foul on Raum, scored by Gundogan.
- 45+3 min: Havertz’s aim additionally dominated out for offside.
- 61st min: Gundogan sees his effort hit the put up.
- seventy fifth min: Doan scores the equaliser for Japan shortly after approaching instead.
- 83rd min: Asano scores the winner for Japan after an extended ball excessive.
But for all Gonda’s good work within the opening half hour, his sloppy goalkeeping then gave Germany a penalty as he raced out to satisfy Raum, tipping him over earlier than catching the defender once more and nearly touchdown on high of him.
After having two earlier efforts blocked, Gundogan stepped up and expertly dispatched his spot-kick to see the four-time World Cup winners in entrance.
Germany then started to dominate and thought that they had a second within the third minute of 4 added on on the finish of the primary half. Havertz slotted house from a Serge Gnabry cross, however, after a VAR examine, the aim was rightly dominated out for offside.
Japan may have made the tip of the primary half extra fascinating nonetheless, however Maeda directed a header simply huge of the goal.
Takuma Asano of Japan scores their staff’s second aim previous Manuel Neuer of Germany throughout a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match at Khalifa International Stadium on Nov. 23, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.
Dean Mouhtaropoulos | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
It was an end-to-end begin to the second half, and Gundogan ought to have added one other on the hour. The spectacular Jamal Musiala drove down the left earlier than establishing the midfielder from 15 yards out. However, Gundogan’s effort smashed off the underside of the put up and went huge. In the seventieth minute, Gonda additionally denied Jonas Hoffman and Gnabry in fast succession.
But the Japan comeback was on the horizon, with Neuer’s first save of the sport coming quickly after, denying Asano. He made one other very good cease throughout the build-up to Japan’s equaliser too, getting a hand to Takumi Minamino’s cut-back, however Doan was lurking inside the world to fit house from shut vary.
However, Neuer would have needed to do higher for Japan’s winner. A protracted ball excessive down the best picked out Asano in behind the defence, with the ahead driving into the world. He held off Nico Schlotterbeck earlier than squeezing the ball previous the goalkeeper and into the far nook.
It was a frenzied finish to the sport as Germany pushed for an equaliser. Leon Goretzka flashed a volley huge of the put up as Neuer got here as much as present one other physique within the space, nevertheless it proved ineffective. Every clearance was celebrated like a aim by the Japan bench as they held on for an important three factors.
Germany cowl mouths in free speech protest earlier than kick-off | Minister wears OneLove armband
Ahead of the kick-off, Germany gamers lined their mouths of their staff image in an obvious freedom of speech protest.
It got here after quite a lot of European soccer associations have been threatened with FIFA sanctions in the event that they wore a “OneLove” armband throughout the World Cup.
The DFB later tweeted concerning the gesture, saying: “With our captain’s armband, we wanted to set an example for values that we live in the national team: diversity and mutual respect.
“Be loud along with different nations. This isn’t a few political message: human rights are non-negotiable. That ought to go with out saying. But sadly it nonetheless is not. That is why this message is so essential to us. Banning us from the bandage is like banning our mouths. Our stance stands.”
German Federal Minister of the Interior and Community Nancy Faeser also wore a OneLove armband at the match following FIFA threatening sporting sanctions for wearing the armband.
Flick and Neuer admit: We are under pressure
Germany manager Hansi Flick:
“With this defeat and nil factors, we’re below stress, no query about it. We can solely blame ourselves. It’s a fantastic disappointment.
“We were on the right path in the first half, we had 78 per cent possession and were ahead 1-0. Then we had good chances in the second half that we didn’t take advantage of.
“Japan have been merely extra environment friendly right this moment. We made errors that we should always by no means commit particularly in a World Cup and people are the issues that we have to enhance on.”
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer:
“I’m completely pissed off and indignant that we let this sport slip, it was not needed. After the break we not had this sport circulation and didn’t play with the identical confidence as within the first half.
“We are now under pressure from the start. That was also the most important game of how you start in a tournament but we messed it up.”
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu:
“We wanted to start playing aggressively, we wanted to dominate the game. But Germany are very strong so we needed to defend persistently and take our chances.
“At the tip they got here at us with the total energy, up to now possibly we’d have misplaced however the gamers have been enjoying in Germany and Europe they’ve realized a lot from that, so we held on.
“United as one, we needed to hang tough until the final whistle went and we were able to grasp our opportunity.”
Pundits: ‘A large shock’
Sky Sports’ Gary Neville on ITV:
“Absolutely, I expected Germany to win that game. It’s a massive shock. Japan are no mugs but it just shows that when you’re not quite at it, you will get a big surprise. What surprised me with the second goal was that Manuel Neuer turned his body to allow the ball to go past him.
“Usually, Neuer stands up sturdy and is a superb goalkeeper. The consequence will ship shockwaves by the event.”
Sky Sports’ Graeme Souness on ITV:
“It’s an almighty blow. When you are a coach, and when you’re the Spanish supervisor, the consequence has partially stuffed his staff speak [against Costa Rica]. He’ll be reminding them they may slip up tonight except they’re bang on it.”
Sky Sports’ Roy Keane on ITV:
“Of course, the consequence hasn’t simply come out of nowhere, however while you’re enjoying Germany – we spoke about them studying from the previous errors of the final World Cup – you are 1-0 down.
“It’s a long way back and so the [Japan] manager deserves huge credit. He had to make those changes and it was part of his game plan as he had to freshen things up.
“They have been scientific. There have been query marks about Neuer for the second aim, however you possibly can’t begrudge them their victory.
“There was never any doubt they would bring the spirit, fight and energy to the party, but they’ve shown intelligence and great quality.
“Often, you see substitutes who cannot stand up to hurry with the sport, however all of them had an impression to elevate their team-mates round them. They all affected the sport.
“They’ve lifted their country.”
What does the consequence imply?
After the opening two video games of Group E, Germany sit third after Spain beat Costa Rica 7-0 in a while Wednesday. Japan sit second behind the 2010 winners.
Both groups play once more on Saturday as Germany tackle Spain — which had been seen as a shootout for first and second spot within the group, however may now see Germany on the verge of an exit in the event that they lose — whereas Japan face Costa Rica.
In the ultimate group video games on Thursday, Dec. 1, Germany will play Costa Rica whereas Spain face Japan, who might be hoping to trigger one other upset towards certainly one of Europe’s most profitable sides.
Opta stats — Japan’s historic win
- Japan got here from behind to win a World Cup match for the very first time, having drawn two and misplaced 11 of their 13 matches after they had trailed earlier than right this moment.
- Having misplaced their opening sport at simply certainly one of their first 18 World Cup tournaments (W13 D4), Germany have misplaced their first sport at every of the final two World Cups.
- Through Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano, Japan grew to become the primary aspect to have two substitutes rating in a single World Cup sport towards Germany.
- Since 1966, solely Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi in 2006 (10 vs Brazil) has made extra saves in a single World Cup sport for Japan than the eight Shuichi Gonda made right this moment.
Player of the match — Jamal Musiala
He might have been on the shedding staff, however Germany’s Musiala lit up the Khalifa International Stadium. He confirmed very good ability all through, significantly within the second half and is about to have a breakout event in Qatar.