Doha: Late objectives by Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano gave Japan an unbelievable 2-1 comeback victory over Germany within the World Cup on Wednesday after the four-time champions had cruising to victory by way of an Ilkay Guendogan penalty however paid a deadly worth for lacking probabilities.
The shock end result was a repeat of their 2018 World Cup nightmare when, as defending champions, they misplaced their opener to Mexico and, after one other defeat by South Korea, had been condemned to an remarkable group-stage exit.
Japan’s Maya Yoshida, proper, and Kou Itakura have fun after the sport. Photograph: Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach
Germany seemed in complete command within the Group E conflict however, with every missed likelihood, left the door open for Japan, who confirmed nearly nothing in assault till a collection of substitutions injected some power within the second half.
Doan equalised within the seventy fifth minute earlier than Asano confirmed pretty management and smashed the winner in from a good angle – inflicting an explosion of pleasure among the many Japan bench.
It was a turnaround that seemed scarcely plausible as Japan struggled to get any foothold for a lot of the recreation.
German gamers have fun their opening purpose. Photograph: IANS/Suman Chattopadhyay
Germany’s early dominance was rewarded when Joshua Kimmich picked out David Raum in acres of house within the field and goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda clumsily introduced him down as he turned, with Guendogan dispatching the penalty within the thirty third minute.
Kai Havertz turned in what he thought was a second in first-half stoppage time and though the assistant referee was about the one particular person within the Khalifa Worldwide stadium to not discover he was a metre offside, VAR duly disallowed it.
There was initially little change to the sample within the second half as Jamal Musiala shot over after a penetrating run and Guendogan clipped a publish.
Gonda then made amends with 4 successive saves to disclaim Jonas Hofmann and Serge Gnabry, protecting his facet within the recreation.
Manuel Neuer, showing in his fourth World Cup, was additionally alert to avoid wasting from Hiroki Sakai and did properly once more quickly after to dam from Takumi Minamino, just for fellow substitute Doan to smash within the unfastened ball.
Instantly buoyed, Japan pushed on and Asano confirmed nice power to deliver down a excessive free-kick and maintain off defender Nico Schlotterbeck and unbelievable method to hammer the ball into the smallest of areas.
Germany launched all-out assault from then on, to no avail, and now face a doubtlessly must-win recreation subsequent towards Spain.
Japan subsequent face Costa Rica and can already be dreaming of the final 16.