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Tag: Japan National Soccer Team

  • Japan beats Spain 2-1 as both teams advance at World Cup

    Japan beats Spain 2-1 as both teams advance at World Cup

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    DOHA, Qatar — Same stadium. Same result. Similar shocking victory for Japan at the World Cup.

    After beating Germany in the team’s opener, Japan worked its way into the round of 16 of the World Cup on Thursday by defeating Spain 2-1 — the same score as last week.

    Spain also advanced despite the loss, knocking Germany out of the tournament.

    Japan scored twice early in the second half to come from behind and defeat another European powerhouse and make it to the knockout stage for the second straight World Cup. It’s the first time Japan has advanced past the group stage in back-to-back tournaments.

    “For Asia and for Japan, our victories over Spain and Germany, two of the top teams in the world, is something that give us great confidence and we are very pleased,” Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said. “Of course, there are many things we still have to learn, but Asia can win in the world stage, Japan can win in the world stage.”

    Ao Tanaka scored the winning goal from close range early in the second half. It took about two minutes for video review officials to confirm the ball hadn’t gone out of bounds before the goal at Khalifa International Stadium, where Japan had shocked Germany in its opener.

    Players from both teams looked surprised when it was announced that the goal counted, and the Japanese started running toward their bench again to celebrate with their teammates.

    “From my angle I think the ball was clearly half out, but more than that I could not see because of the speed,” Tanaka said. “I was concentrating in scoring. There was always a possibility that it was out … But in the end it was a goal, so that was great.”

    Japan finished at the top of Group E and will next face Croatia. Spain will take on Group F winner Morocco.

    Spain and Germany — which beat Costa Rica 4-2 in a simultaneous match — both had four points in the group. But Spain had a superior goal difference.

    The group standings bounced back and forth during both matches. Costa Rica was beating Germany at one point. If that result had stood, Costa Rica would have eliminated Spain.

    Spain coach Luis Enrique said he didn’t know that at one point Costa Rica was winning.

    “If I had known about it, I could have had a heart attack,” he said.

    Álvaro Morata scored for Spain in the 11th minute and the 2010 champions were in control until Japan rallied after halftime. Ritsu Doan equalized in the 48th with a left-footed shot from outside the box and Tanaka added the second three minutes later.

    Luis Enrique said Spain “got into collapse mode.”

    “We totally lost control during those five minutes. We panicked,” Luis Enrique said. “If they had to score more goals, they would have been able to do it. They got past us like an airplane.”

    Morata became the first Spain player to score in the team’s first three matches at the World Cup since Telmo Zarra in 1950.

    Spain had opened with a 7-0 rout of Costa Rica before conceding late in a 1-1 draw against Germany.

    Japan, which lost to Costa Rica in its second match, was eliminated by Belgium in the last 16 four years ago in Russia. The Japanese have never gotten past the round of 16 at the World Cup.

    By finishing second in the group, Spain may avoid facing Brazil in the quarterfinals and Argentina in the semifinals.

    “There is nothing to celebrate,” Luis Enrique said. “I’m not happy. We wanted to finish in first place with a victory.”

    The coach said he was surprised that the second goal by Japan was confirmed by VAR. He said he was shown a photo of the ball out of bounds.

    “That photo they showed me must have been altered,” Luis Enrique said. “That’s the only explanation.”

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    Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Costa Rica rallies late to beat Japan 1-0 in Group E

    Costa Rica rallies late to beat Japan 1-0 in Group E

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    AL RAYYAN, Qatar — Keysher Fuller scored in the 81st minute to lift Costa Rica to a 1-0 victory over Japan on Sunday, leaving both teams with three points after two games in Group E of the World Cup.

    Fuller took advantage of a defensive error when Japan failed to clear the ball and hit the net from 18 meters just off the fingertips of leaping Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda.

    The match at Ahmad Bin Ali stadium was tactical and largely lackluster, particularly in a first half that did not yield a single shot on goal. The second half was slightly better with Japan pressing throughout until Costa Rica broke through.

    Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas came up with several rapid fire saves in the final minutes to ensure the victory.

    Japan has one Group E game remaining with Spain, and Costa Rica faces Germany in its final group match. With a victory, Japan could have all but wrapped up a place in the knockout stage after a 2-1 upset of Germany in its opener. Costa Rica was pounded by Spain 7-0 in its first game and just trying to survive.

    Japan had the edge in corners, shots, and possession but could not find the net.

    The first half might have been one of the worst of the tournament that has already seen four 0-0 draws. Neither team had a shot on goal in a tactical stalemate.

    Ritsu Doan, who scored one of Japan’s goals in the 2-1 win over Germany, looked the most threatening early with runs down the right side looking to cut in crosses.

    Costa Rica’s most menacing player always looked like Joel Campbell, trying to use his speed on the left flank.

    There was more action in the first two minutes after the break than in the entire first half.

    Hidemasa Morita tested Navas with a blistering shot in the first minute, and Takuma Asano forced another save a minute later.

    Despite Japan’s attacking intent, the late defensive error cost the team, which seemed headed for a draw and a valuable point.

    Japan, which is appearing it its seventh straight World Cup, has reached the knockout stage on three occasions, losing each time in the round of 16. Costa Rica reached the quarterfinals in Brazil in 2014.

    Japan may not win the World Cup, but it’s winning goodwill with its tradition of cleaning up fan areas and player dressing rooms after the match. This dates from Japan’s first appearance in the World Cup in 1998. This time Japanese team officials have arrived with 8,000 trash bags with thank-you greetings in Arabia, Japanese, and English.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Japan gets 2 late goals to beat Germany 2-1 at World Cup

    Japan gets 2 late goals to beat Germany 2-1 at World Cup

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    DOHA, Qatar — Another World Cup day, another World Cup shock.

    Substitutes Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano scored late goals Wednesday to give Japan a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Germany.

    Both Doan and Asano play for German clubs.

    “I believe it’s a historic moment, a historic victory. If I think about the development of Japanese soccer, thinking of players, for them this was a big surprise,” said Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, who had five Germany-based players in his starting lineup and three, including the scorers, on the bench.

    “They’re fighting in a very strong, tough, prestigious league. They’ve been building up their strength. In that context we believe that those divisions (Bundesliga and second division) have been contributing to the development of Japanese players,” Moriyasu said. “I’m very grateful for that.”

    Ilkay Gündogan had given four-time champion Germany the lead with a first-half penalty. But Doan, who plays for Freiburg, pounced on a rebound to equalize in the 76th minute after Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer blocked a shot from Takumi Minamino.

    Then Asano, who plays for Bochum, sprinted clear of Nico Schlotterbeck and beat Neuer from a narrow angle in the 83rd minute of the first competitive meeting between the two nations.

    The match was played a day after Argentina’s 2-1 upset loss to Saudi Arabia.

    Before Wednesday’s game, Germany’s players covered their mouths during the team photo in an apparent rebuke to FIFA following its decision to stop plans to wear armbands to protest discrimination in host nation Qatar.

    Nancy Faeser, Germany’s sports minister, attended the match at the Khalifa International Stadium and was sitting beside FIFA president Gianni Infantino while wearing the same “One Love” armband that FIFA had outlawed with its threats of consequences.

    It was only the third time Germany had lost its tournament-opening game after defeats against Algeria in 1982 and Mexico in 2018. In the other World Cup openers for Germany, the team had won 13 matches and drawn four.

    Germany outplayed Japan for much of the match with 24 attempts on goal compared to Japan’s 11. Despite giving away the penalty for a clumsy challenge on left back David Raum, Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda made a string of saves and was player of the game.

    “We fought as a team,” Gonda said. “We have to make sure we never stop.”

    Japan next plays Costa Rica, while Germany faces Spain on Sunday.

    Germany’s buildup was fraught by protests and political statements because of Qatar’s human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers and members of the LGBTQ community.

    Germany was playing at the World Cup for the first time since its shocking group-stage exit as defending champion in 2018, while Japan is appearing in its seventh straight World Cup and is looking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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