Japan stage dramatic rally to reach round of 16, but are Spain fine with result?

AL RAYYAN, Qatar -- Japan staged a heroic comeback against Spain to triumph 2-1 and publication their spot successful the circular of 16 astatine the World Cup.

Spain led done Alvaro Morata's aboriginal extremity but Japan, who couldn't negociate a changeable connected people successful the archetypal half, turned the crippled astir soon aft the interruption with 2 goals during a frantic three-minute spell acknowledgment to halftime substitute Ritsu Doan and past Ao Tanaka.

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Tanaka's extremity was initially ruled retired aft the shot was judged to person tally retired of play earlier Kaoru Mitoma's cut-back but VAR overturned the determination and gave Japan the 3 points they needed to beryllium definite of a spot successful the knockout rounds.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Postmatch quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Rapid Reaction

1. Japan's peculiar tally continues

Japan gave announcement 4 years agone that they're not phased by facing heavyweight absorption astatine the World Cup erstwhile they astir dumped Belgium retired successful the circular of 16, but what they person already done successful Qatar is thing special.

Despite being drawn successful a pugnacious group, determination was a quiescent assurance astatine location astir what Hajime Moriyasu's squad mightiness beryllium capable to achieve. Very fewer would person expected to apical Group E by beating some Germany and Spain. Even much singular is that Japan were a extremity down successful some games and battled backmost -- a informing to immoderate squad they look successful the knockout rounds that they are ne'er retired of a contest.

Since qualifying for their archetypal World Cup successful 1998, Japan person ne'er reached the quarterfinals but they person already shown present that thing is possible, starting with a knockout circular matchup against Croatia connected Monday.

It besides becomes afloat ellipse for Moriyasu, who played successful a World Cup qualifier against Iraq successful Qatar successful 1993 which became known arsenic "the calamity of Doha" aft Japan conceded a stoppage clip equaliser to contradict them an quality astatine the 1994 tournament.

This effect volition surely soothe that achy representation for Moriyasu arsenic his squad proceed an improbable tally successful Qatar.

2. Spain's struggles a blessing?

After demolishing Costa Rica 7-0 successful the radical signifier opener, looking comfy for ample spells against Germany and past taking an aboriginal pb against Japan, it's astir unbelievable that for a play successful the 2nd fractional present Spain were going out.

Japan's rally with 2 goals successful 3 minutes aboriginal successful the 2nd fractional -- combined with Costa Rica taking an improbable pb against Germany -- meant Spain dropped down to 3rd successful Group E and facing an aboriginal exit.

Spain manager Luis Enrique has Kai Havertz to convey for turning crippled against Costa Rica successful Germany's favour, but it volition beryllium a interest that erstwhile La Roja were hopeless for a goal, they looked toothless.

The bonus for Spain is that finishing 2nd successful their radical means they debar the toughest broadside of the draw, which already includes Argentina and apt Brazil. Winning the radical would person apt meant a quarterfinal matchup with Brazil, but present Spain's way includes Morocco successful the 2nd round, perchance Portugal successful the quarterfinals and possibly France oregon England successful the semifinals.

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However, nary of that volition substance if Spain support playing similar they did successful the 2nd fractional -- mistakes successful defence and limp successful onslaught -- due to the fact that if they bash that, they won't get precise acold astatine all.

3. Morata makes lawsuit but onslaught extent an contented

Alvaro Morata has handed his archetypal commencement of the World Cup and repaid Luis Enrique with a trademark header from Cesar Azpilicueta's pinpoint cross, but what followed was a batch of possession and not overmuch else.

In the archetypal half, some Rodri (115) and Pau Torres (109) completed much passes than Japan did arsenic an full squad (89) but arsenic is sometimes the lawsuit with Spain, it didn't truly mean thing and for spells of the crippled it astir looked similar they wanted to decorativeness 2nd successful the group.

Morata present has 3 goals successful Qatar -- tying him with Kylian Mbappe, Marcus Rashford, Cody Gakpo, and Enner Valencia successful the Golden Boot contention -- and has made a beardown lawsuit to commencement against Morocco. However, picking him from the commencement would permission Luis Enrique without a nonstop enactment disconnected the seat if things commencement to spell wrong. As Spain chased a extremity against Japan, Marco Asensio, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati each came connected but they struggled to marque a important impact.

In the extremity Spain were fortunate that Costa Rica couldn't clasp connected against Germany but they seldom troubled Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda successful the 2nd half.

Player ratings

Spain: Unai Simon 5, Cesar Azpilicueta 6, Alejandro Balde 6, Pau Torres 6, Rodri 5, Sergio Busquets 6, Gavi 6, Pedri 6, Dani Olmo 5, Nico Williams 5, Alvaro Morata 7.

Subs: Dani Carvajal 6, Marco Asensio 6, Ferran Torres 6, Ansu Fati 6, Jordi Alba 6.

Japan: Shuichi Gonda 7, Shogo Taniguchi 7, Kou Itakura 7, Maya Yoshida 7, Yuto Nagatomo 5, Hidemasa Morita 7, Junya Ito 7, Ao Tanaka 7, Takefusa Kubo 5, Daichi Kamada 7, Daizen Maeda 7.

Subs: Kaoru Mitoma 8, Ritsu Doan 8, Takuma Asano 6, Wataru Endo 6.

Best and worst performers

BEST: Ritsu Doan, Japan.

Changed the crippled erstwhile helium came connected astatine halftime, archetypal with a spectacular extremity and past with the transverse which led to Japan's game-winner.

WORST: Unai Simon, Spain.

Gave the shot distant for Japan's archetypal extremity trying to play retired from the back.

Highlights and notable moments

If this shot is ruled retired Germany would beryllium moving connected to the Round of 16 😱 pic.twitter.com/PcceKn0AIW

Check retired ESPN's breakdown connected wherefore VAR awarded Japan the decisive extremity after the shot appeared to spell out.

After the match: What the players and managers said

Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu, connected the win: "We played against Spain, 1 of the champion teams successful the satellite and we knew earlier the crippled that this was going to beryllium precise pugnacious and difficult, and so it was," said Moriyasu whose broadside mislaid to Costa Rica successful their 2nd lucifer successful Qatar.

"The players conceded 1 goal, but they persisted and successful precise hard circumstances, they did precise well."

Spain manager Luis Enrique to TVE, connected the result: "This is football, I person a batch of acquisition successful football, I've seen everything, each the bully and each the bad. Relax, effort to marque a quality with substitutions, we enactment connected much attackers but it's hard to find spaces against an hostile that defends similar Japan.

"We'll bash our grieving tonight. There's thing to celebrate, we spell done successful second, but this has to beryllium a warning, to realise that this volition happen. If we're fortunate capable to spell up against Morocco, this volition hap again. We request to beryllium a spot much convincing successful those moments erstwhile we're nether pressure."

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information research)

- Japan's 18% possession against Spain is the lowest by immoderate squad astatine a World Cup crippled since 1966.

- Japan are the 2nd squad to decision some Spain and Germany astatine a azygous World Cup, joining Austria's 1978 squad.

Up next

Spain: Taking connected Group D winners Morocco successful the circular of 16 connected Monday. It is the 2nd consecutive World Cup that the 2 geographical neighbors volition look each other, with La Roja and the Atlas Lions playing to a 2-2 gully successful 2018 successful the radical stage.

Japan: As Group E winners, the Samurai Blue volition look Group D runners-up Croatia connected Monday.