Jubilant Japan Qualify for the Round of 16
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Japan entered the 2022 World Cup knowing they faced a hugely challenging task to qualify for the round of 16.
Drawn in Group E along with Spain, Germany, and Costa Rica, the Japanese were predicted to battle it out with Costa Rica for third place, with the team losing that match finishing bottom of the group.
Japan started their campaign with a match against Germany in the Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan in the first game of Group E.
When the Germans took the lead from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute, everyone expected them to go on and win the match.
However, Japan were not finished and not for the only time in the tournament, manager Hajime Moriyasu made some inspirational substitutions.
Just four minutes after coming off the bench, Ritsu Doan equalised for Japan and Takuma Asano, who also entered the fray from the substitutes bench, scored the winning goal in the 83rd minute.
It was a stunning victory for Japan which left them in a fantastic position going into the game against Costa Rica. The Japanese knew a win would leave them in pole position to qualify for the round of 16 and this was the match they were targeting for 3 points.
Things did not go to plan and with the score 0-0, it was Costa Rica who made the breakthrough in the 81st minute to take 3 points. It was a huge blow to the chances of Japan progressing from the group and they were left with an uphill task against Spain, who had previously destroyed Costa Rica 7-0.
Into the match against the Spanish and after only 11 minutes Japan found themselves 1-0 down. With Germany 1-0 up over Costa Rica inside 10 minutes, the writing appeared to be on the wall for the Japanese.
As predicted, Spain and Germany were going to be the two teams to progress from Group E, leaving Japan to exit the competition along with Costa Rica.
If the Spanish took anything from the match between Japan and Germany, it is that the Japanese do not give up. For the second match in the group stage, it was the substitutions of Moriyasu that made all the difference in this game.
Doan and Mitoma were introduced at half-time and for the second game in the tournament, they made a massive impact.
Just six minutes into the second half, Doan equalised and only 142 seconds later both Doan and Mitoma were involved as Tanaka bundled the ball home from close range to give Japan the lead.
The high press employed by Japan unsettled Germany and it caused Spain a lot of problems. Japan refused to give Spain time on the ball and were not unduly troubled by the Spanish having taken the lead in the 51st minute.
Croatia will feel happy they avoided Spain in the round of 16 but Japan have shown more than enough in the group stage to suggest their 2022 World Cup journey can continue into the quarter final.
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