Japan 2-1 Spain
Qatar 2022 | Group Stage
Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan
Attendance: 44,851
Japan goals: Doan (48), Tanaka (51)
Spain goal: Morata (11)
Teams
Coach: Hajime Moriyasu
Starting XI: Shuichi Gonda; Ko Itakura, Maya Yoshida, Shogo Taniguchi; Junya Ito, Hidemasa Morita, Ao Tanaka, Yuto Nagatomo; Daichi Kamada, Takefusa Kubo; Daizen Maeda
Substitutions: Ritsu Doan for Kubo (46), Kaoru Mitoma for Nagatomo (46), Takuma Asano for Maeda (62), Takehiro Tomiyasu for Kamada (69), Wataru Endo for Tanaka (87)
Coach: Luis Enrique
Starting XI: Unai Simon; Cesar Azpilicueta, Pau Torres, Rodri, Alejandro Balde; Sergio Busquets, Gavi, Pedri; Nico Williams, Alvaro Morata, Dani Olmo
Substitutions: Dani Carvajal for Azpilicueta (46), Ferran Torres for Williams (57), Marco Asensio for Morata (57), Ansu Fati for Gavi (68), Jordi Alba for Balde (68)
Hitherto head-to-head record
1 Spain win
Going into the game
While the Brazilian influence on Japanese football is well established, the Spanish game has also been a clear reference point for the emerging Asian power. From trailblazers such as Shoji Jo to current star Takefusa Kubo, Japanese players have long felt the La Liga lure while La Roja legends Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres have made the move in reverse to enjoy J.League jaunts.
Familiarity is one thing, pedigree is another. On that front, when Japan were drawn in a FIFA World Cup 2022™ group containing two of the three previous champions, expectations of a deep run were dulled.
Having stunned Germany 2-1 in their Group E opener though, Hajime Moriyasu’s side knew they had the tools to scale a second European summit. A slip-up against Costa Rica in their second outing meant that Japan knew they needed a positive result against a Spain side that began with a win and a draw to advance to the knockouts for a fourth time.
The game
With both nations following the events in Al Khor, where Germany struck early against Costa Rica in the other Group E closer, things were very much going as expected in Al Rayyan as Alvaro Morata struck after just 11 minutes.
Luis Enrique’s side were dominant in the opening stanza, passing and moving their way through a retreating Japan side with ease but the opener came from a more rudimentary avenue. A lofted Cesar Azpilicueta cross nodded home by Morata after he slipped free of the watch of Maya Yoshida and Ko Itakura.
That pair, along with the third central defender, Shogo Taniguchi, were all yellow carded during the first half but it was a couple of attacking changes at the break from Moriyasu that unexpectedly swung things Japan’s way.
Against Germany, Ritsu Doan began Japan’s comeback four minutes after his second half arrival. Here, he did it 60 seconds quicker. The blonde-tipped, quicksilver forward collecting the ball on the far right edge of the box and arrowing a fiercely struck shot past Unai Simon to square things.
Three minutes later he curled a cross past the entire four-man Spanish backline that fellow substitute Mitoma raced onto. Hooking the ball back from and then across the byline somewhere between nanometres and picometres before it went out of play, it then crashed in off the knee of Ao Tanaka to double Japan’s lead.
Spain were rocked and, for a brief period, about to be rolled as Costa Rica led Germany, but a late Kai Havertz brace helped secured La Roja’s second round progression, although as section runners-up, with Japan emerging as Group E victors at the end of an extraordinary week when they stunned two giants of the game.
Quotes
“Big thanks to all our supporters and the people of Japan for their support. Thanks to them, we were able to make it through this difficult match. I’m happy I was able to deliver the victory to everyone. The players are showing us a different and new view of being able to fight on the world stage.”
Hajime Moriyasu, Japan coach
“In football you deserve it [win] or not and we didn’t deserve it. I’m not happy at all. I would have liked to be on top and win but in five minutes Japan scored two. We were dismantled. We didn’t have any danger in the first half and then at half-time I told them [Spain players] to be cautious because they [Japan] had nothing to lose.
“We collapsed and they could have scored two more goals. I’m not happy at all. I never celebrate defeats, so we have nothing to celebrate. We have qualified but I have nothing to celebrate.”
Luis Enrique, Spain coach
