Banzay! Japan is here to blow up all the forecasts and give the second surprise of the World Cup in Qatar by defeating Germany, a four-time world champion blushing. It was two substitutes, two Japanese out of the eight who play in the Bundesliga, Takuma Asano and Ritsu Doan, who struck down the Mannschaft in a final eight dizzying, electrifying minutes. After Saudi Arabia, Argentina's executor, Japan joins the list of surprise executioners.
The inaugural duel of group E arrived involved in the controversy over the display, or not, by Manuel Neuer of the One love rainbow bracelet, in defense of the rights of the LGTBQ community (which in the end he did not exhibit), as well as the gesture unequivocal of the eleven German headlines covering their mouths –in protest against FIFA's censorship of the freedom of expression of soccer players-.
After the initial symbolism in the Khalifa stadium, Germany took control of the ball, as could be expected, by category and favoritism. Japan gave up the initiative and concentrated on being very close behind, leaving no space and looking for the counter to surprise Neuer.
This script did not go badly for the Japanese, who after 8 minutes pierced the German mark with a career goal from Maeda, the Celtic striker, after a loss from Gündogan and a great assist from Ito. However, the Salvadoran referee Iván Barton annulled the goal for offside. First notice to Germany, chastened by its 2018 fiasco in Russia (eliminated in the first phase with two defeats, against Mexico and South Korea).
The Germans lacked fluidity in the movement of the ball, too horizontal. The only clear approach was a header from Rüdiger, who narrowly missed, in a set piece (m. 16).
The domination of the Mannschaft was more and more overwhelming. In one of the approaches along the highway on the left with the side Raum, the goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda committed a stupid penalty, most naive. The goalkeeper tripped and fell on top of Raum when he was retreating towards his field, that is, without imminent danger of a shot. Gundogan made it 1-0 with a shot close to the post (m. 33).
The German advantage did not turn into further harassment of the Japanese goal, well protected by Moriyasu's tactical framework. Kimmich tried with a high shot (m. 41) and in the extension of the first half Havertz equalized on disallowed goals when the possible 2-0 was invalidated for offside. The combination had been of drawing lines, a game of touch and speed, with a cross from Müller from the baseline, a shot from Kimmich from outside the area, a rebound from the goalkeeper and an assist from Gnabry to Havertz in an illegal position (m. 48).
After the break, Japan had to make a move if they didn't want to be finished off by the German roller, who was progressing like a diesel. Moriyasu-san brought forward the pressure at the exit of the ball from the German center-backs, and brought on two Europeanized players with bite like Mitoma (Brighton) as winger and Asano (Bochum) as nine. Two changes that would be transcendental.
The duel was encouraged at times. With the quality details of the very young Jamal Musiala (19), excellent looking for the vertical but shooting high (m. 51), and a shot at the post by Gündogan (m .59), Germany was looking hard for the sentence to avoid surprises like the Saudi . And Japan stretched with the newly incorporated, with a very fast Takuma Asano who shot high in a three-for-three counter (m. 61), or who took a shot with his left foot against Rüdiger (m. 66).
The game went crazy, corsets and lines broke, and the goalkeepers became protagonists. The Japanese Gonda destroyed the 2-0 with four saves in a row à la Benji Price, to shots from Hofmann and Gnabry, (m. 70), and immediately afterwards it was Neuer who took out a prodigious hand from a shot from Sakai (m. 72).
Without lifting their foot off the accelerator, Japan was encouraged in the siege on the German mark and forced the tie in a dizzying play: Mitoma's ride from the left with a pass to Minamino, who finished off cross, intercepted Neuer but left the ball dead at his feet by Ritsu Doan, who scores 1-1 at will (m. 75). The Freiburg striker had only entered the field four minutes ago.
Flick moved token again. He put in two nines, Fullkrug and Götze for Havertz and Musiala, to look for the goal of the sentence, but it was Japan who set off the second surprise of the World Cup with a great goal from Asano.
The Bochum player, the boy dyed silver, stood out on the right wing, won the back of Schlotterbeck, portrayed in his solemn slowness, and heeled and in the race he drilled Neuer through the only hole he left next to the post. A tremendous blow that melted the leads of Germany with 7 minutes to go.
The Germans threw themselves into an open grave in the final minutes. Goretzka had the equalizer in a long shot that went just wide (m. 95), but Japan defended tooth and nail its first historic victory against the Teutonic giant.
Germany: Neuer, Sule, Rugiger, Schlotterbeck, Raum, Kimmich, Gundogan (Goretzka, m.67), Musiala (Götze, m.79), Gnabry (Moukoko, m.90), Müller (Hofmann, m.67), Havertz (Fullkrug, m.79).
Japón: Gonda; Sakai, Yoshida, Kou Itakura, Nagatomo (Mitoma, m.57), Endo, Tanaka (Doan, m.71), Junya Ito, Kamada, Kubo (Tomiyasu, m.46), Maeda (Asano, m.46) .57).
Goals: 1-0, M.33: Gundogan, from penalty; 1-1, M.75: Doan; 1-2, M.83: Alcohol.
Referee: Iván Barton (El Salvador). No cards.
Field: Khalifa International, before some 45,000 spectators.
