Japan 2-1 Spain: Samurai Blue stun Enrique’s men who will enter the knockouts on goal difference

Japan 2-1 Spain
FIFA World Cup
Group E
Khalifa International Stadium
Attendance: 44,851

Japan took over the lead in Group E from Spain on the last day of play. After the earlier feat against Germany, Japan also won against Spain, finishing on six points and will meet Croatia in the next round. Spain is number two against Morocco. The big loser in Group E is Germany, which was canceled due to the Japanese victory.

The first chance of the game was already for Japan and followed by an error by Sergio Busquets. The veteran lost the ball in his own penalty area, after which Japan created a great opportunity through a few detours. Junya Ito eventually shot into the side netting.

A few minutes later it was hit on the other side of the field. After a sharp cross from César Azpilicueta, Álvaro Morata nodded from close range; the attacker, who scored his third goal of the World Cup, was not sufficiently bothered by former FC Groningen defender Ko Itakura.

The young Spanish side with Alejandro Baldé, Gavi, Pedri and Nico Williams in the starting line-up, Spain was the first European country since Yugoslavia at the 1930 World Cup to field four players from under-21s – at the start of the second half nevertheless came into the issues. Ritsu Doan scored the equalizer with a nice shot. A few minutes later, Japan even took the lead from a much-discussed goal.

Doan sent a diagonal ball to Kaoru Mitoma, who took the ball around the backline. The question was whether the ball had crossed that line. Mitoma gave Ao Tanaka a cross. And it was a breeze for the midfielder to work in the 2-1 from close range. The goal was initially disallowed by the referees, but eventually awarded. Japan remained upright in the remainder of the second half and thus secured a place in the round of 16 for the fourth time.