Not content with one seismic shock, Japan delivered a second in Group E, toppling a star-studded Spain side in feverish conditions at the Khalifa International Stadium and securing a place in the last 16. This wasn’t just a win—it was a statement, a triumph of discipline, belief, and razor-thin margins. The result also meant that Germany, despite their win over Costa Rica, were eliminated on goal difference.
Spain advanced, too—albeit in second place—but any suspicion
that they eased off to engineer a more favourable draw was not evident in the
faces of their bewildered players. Japan’s stunning three-minute second-half
blitz was a tactical masterstroke that dismantled Spain’s rhythm and left
Europe’s most technically assured side scrambling.
A Tactical Coup from
Moriyasu
Though this is Japan’s third round of 16 appearance in the
past four World Cups, this campaign stands apart. Victories over the 2010 and
2014 world champions (Spain and Germany, respectively), sandwiched around a
puzzling loss to Costa Rica, speak to the volatility of football’s grandest
stage—and Japan’s ability to ride it.
Coach Hajime Moriyasu’s game plan was clear from the outset:
concede possession, compress space, and strike with precision. His side had
just 18% possession and completed only 175 passes compared to Spain’s 991, but
it didn’t matter. In the chaos of a blistering start to the second half, Japan
found their moment—and made it count.
First Half: Spain in
Cruise Control
Spain began with poise and purpose. Gavi and Pedri,
Barcelona’s teenage metronomes, ran the midfield carousel around veteran Sergio
Busquets. Their passing triangles drew Japan into a deep and reactive back
five, unable to close down spaces quickly enough.
The breakthrough came early. In the 12th minute,
Azpilicueta’s precise cross from the right found Álvaro Morata unmarked on the
penalty spot. His header was crisp and clinical—his third goal of the
tournament—steering Spain into a comfortable lead.
But for all Spain’s grace in possession, an unsettling
pattern persisted: errors in buildup under pressure, a holdover from their
clash with Germany.
The Turn: Japan’s
Ruthless Window
At halftime, Moriyasu made two bold changes: Kaoru Mitoma
and Ritsu Doan entered, and the entire dynamic shifted. The press intensified
immediately. Spain’s vulnerability was exposed just three minutes after the
restart.
A jittery Unai Simón, so often playing on the edge,
delivered a loose pass to Alejandro Balde. Doan seized the moment,
dispossessing the young full-back and unleashing a venomous strike. Simón got
hands to it, but not enough—it soared into the net.
Before Spain could regroup, Japan struck again. Doan once
more bulldozed down the flank, feeding Mitoma, whose cut-back from the byline
was bundled in by Ao Tanaka. Initially ruled out—the ball was thought to have
gone out of play—VAR intervened, and football's newest frontier of debate was
opened.
The Goal Line
Controversy: A Game of Inches
The second goal’s legitimacy became the most scrutinized
moment of the match—and possibly the tournament. Television angles suggested
the ball had crossed the line before Mitoma played it. But the VAR review,
informed by specialized camera angles, confirmed that the curvature of the ball
had not entirely cleared the line—a reminder that World Cups are indeed decided
by the finest of margins.
This decision, aided not by the much-hyped sensor inside the
“Al Rihla” ball (which does not track in-play status), but by calibrated angles
used by VAR officials, proved decisive. The rule is simple: if any part of the
ball is hovering above any part of the line, it remains in play. And by
millimetres, Japan’s dream stayed alive.
Spain in Disarray,
Japan in Control
As the news of Costa Rica’s brief lead over Germany filtered
in, panic set in for Spain. For a brief, surreal moment, both Germany and Spain
were heading out. Luis Enrique later admitted he would’ve suffered a heart
attack had he known the live permutations.
Spain pushed, but their precision was gone. Asensio and Dani
Olmo saw chances blocked and saved. But Japan, energized and organized, nearly
added a third—Mitoma’s incisive through-ball found Takuma Asano, whose shot was
foiled by a slip at the critical moment.
When the final whistle blew, Japan’s bench flooded the
pitch. The players, overcome, stayed long after the crowd had thinned, saluting
their fans, many in full costume, overcome by the scale of the moment.
A Landmark Night for
Japan, Questions for Spain
Japan’s victory wasn’t just a fluke—it was engineered
through fearless tactics, tactical substitutions, and unrelenting self-belief.
Their reward is a clash with Croatia. For Spain, it’s Morocco next—a side that
topped their own group and will not fear them.
But beyond tactics and results, this night will be remembered for a decision—a curve of the ball, a fleeting image, and the victory it preserved. In a tournament defined by technology, human brilliance, and human error, Japan are scripting their own improbable story.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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