Japan advances, Germany bounced on wild day in Group E
DOHA, Qatar — Japan pulled off another incredible upset Thursday thanks to second-half goals from Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka, the second of them laced with controversy. Germany crashed out of the World Cup at the group stage despite getting its first win. Spain flirted with elimination before getting a favorable knockout stage route. Costa Rica fought bravely and briefly flirted with unimaginable glory.
If that sounds like four different stories it’s because they were, but they all meshed together, across two stadiums, two matches, nine goals and another night of incredible spectacle at this World Cup.
Group E was supposed to be a stroll for Spain and Germany. It turned out to be anything but, and for a swift moment midway through the second half the live table read that they were both headed home.
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Germany was eliminate from the World Cup despite a 4-2 victory.
Ultimately, it was just Germany that was sent packing. A 4-2 victory over Costa Rica featuring goals from Serge Gnabry, Kai Havertz (two) and Niclas Füllkrug was rendered obsolete thanks to the heroics of Doan and Tanaka, who gave Japan a 2-1 comeback victory against Spain at Khalifa International Stadium.
In the opening period, it all seemed like it would be quite simple. At this World Cup, with upsets galore? Not a chance.
Germany went ahead through Gnabry after 10 minutes at Al Bayt Stadium, and when Alvaro Morata headed home Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross and edged Spain in front moments later — 30 miles south — it was a case of so far, so predictable, a double outcome that would send both teams through and confirm what was widely expected when the draw was made.
Then, everything changed. Japan came out with pure attacking intent and introduced substitutes Doan and Kaoru Mitoma at the break. With six minutes they had upturned the game, the odds and the group.
At 48 minutes, Doan equalized with a powerful shot that goalkeeper Unai Simón could only push into his own net. Three minutes later came a contentious moment that will long be talked about, especially in Germany.
Mitomo pulled the ball back at the byline and sent it across for Tanaka to bundle home. Initially, the assistant referee judged that the ball had gone out before Mitomo got to it, and replays leaned towards that theory, but VAR reversed the call and gave Japan the goal it craved.
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Japan advances thanks for furious comeback.
Yet more success beckoned for Asian teams, after earlier upsets for Saudi Arabia and Australia, plus Japan's own triumph against the Germans.
When Costa Rica first equalized through Yeltsin Tejada and then went ahead via a Manuel Neuer own-goal, Spain was in trouble.
For a minute, a tantalizing minute for those who root for underdog romance, it looked as though former champions could both go out, impossibly, inexplicably.
The fantasy lasted just moments. Havertz put the Germans level almost immediately and everything was back in flux. Germany was back in contention, Spain only just out of danger, Japan no longer feeling so comfortable, Costa Rica with work still to do.
Havertz would add another and Füllkrug would put an end to the Costa Ricans’ game challenge, but it was not enough for Germany as Japan held on to its advantage.
Germany, such a beacon of consistency across so many World Cup campaigns, has now failed to qualify for the knockout rounds since winning the tournament in 2014.
Japan progresses to a round-of-16 matchup with Croatia on Monday, while Spain takes on Morocco the following day.
Read more from the World Cup:
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- How to watch the 2022 World Cup on FOX: Times, channels, full match schedule
Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the author of the FOX Sports Insider newsletter. You can subscribe to the daily newsletter here.