December 01, (THEWILL) – Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka were heroes for Japan in their shocking 2-1 victory over Spain that saw them finish top of Group E.
Even though Spain lost, La Roja advanced alongside Japan to the round of 16, while Germany was unexpectedly eliminated. Knowing that a win was on the cards, Spain wasted little time getting on the board, as Alvaro Morata headed past Shuichi Gonda for his third goal of the tournament early on.
However, Japan turned the game on its head with a quick-fire second-half double, Doan blasting home from close range, before Tanaka bundled in a second. All of these came despite Spain’s massive possession advantage, which left Japan with about 15% of the ball for long periods.
When Costa Rica took the lead against Germany in the group’s other match, Spain was momentarily on their way out of the World Cup for what could have been a massive upset given the gusto with which they began.
La Roja managed to survive an amazing finish to advance as runners-up, thanks to a late comeback by Germany in a 4-2 victory. On Monday, Japan will play Croatia in the Round of 16, and the following day, Spain will battle Morocco.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
