Spain coach Luis Enrique says Japan deserved to complete first of their World Cup group after the Asian nation beat his workforce 2-1 on Thursday.
WHAT HAPPENED? Japan got here from a purpose right down to win their closing match of the spherical to e book their place within the final 16 of the competitors. Hajime Moriyasu’s workforce turned the match round with two targets in fast succession as Ritsu Doan equalised three minutes after the restart after which Ao Tanaka put his workforce forward shortly afterwards. The outcome ensures Japan undergo as Group E winners and Spain go into the knockout rounds as runners-up.
WHAT THEY SAID: “There have been 5 minutes of panic. They scored two targets in opposition to us and will have scored one other two,” Luis Enrique mentioned to La1. “When a workforce like Japan has nothing to lose, it occurs that they fly like airplanes. Then it went again to regular. The tip was already very troublesome, as a result of they have been very closed. Japan goes first and it’s deserved. It annoys me. I needed to be first.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: VAR performed an important intervention for Japan as their second purpose was the topic of a prolonged evaluation because it was thought the ball might have gone out of play within the construct up. It was ultimately determined that the entire ball had not crossed the road, although, and the purpose stood. That ensured Japan went by and Germany, ending third within the group on purpose distinction, went out.
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DID YOU KNOW? Spain have misplaced their closing group stage sport on the World Cup for the primary time since 1982, after they misplaced 1-0 to Northern Eire. They received eight of their earlier 9 such video games earlier than dropping to Japan.
WHAT NEXT FOR SPAIN? Luis Enrique’s workforce will meet Morocco within the subsequent spherical of the match on December 6, whereas Japan will tackle Croatia within the final 16.