World Cup 2022: Did it cross the line? Germany out as Japan and Spain progress

Did the shot transverse the line?

Ritsu Doan's cut-back for Ao Tanaka's tap-in happened conscionable aft the shot looked to person crossed the byeline.

Even aft cropping and zooming it looked incredibly close. Eventually it was ruled that the shot had not afloat crossed the line.

In different words, if you drew an imaginary enactment upwards astatine 90 degrees from the acold borderline of the whitewash, it would person inactive passed done the curve of the ball, albeit lone just, adjacent though the portion of the shot that touches the crushed had afloat crossed the line.

A extremity was initially given, past VAR intervened, but yet Japan's pb would stand, and they would spell connected to win.

Those 3 points meant Germany were out, the four-time winners falling astatine the radical signifier for a 2nd consecutive tournament.

It was conscionable 1 infinitesimal connected a World Cup nighttime afloat of spinetingling drama.

• Reaction to Japan v Spain and Germany against Costa Rica
• Fifa World Cup: Groups & Schedule
• World Cup TV Coverage guide

A rollercoaster nighttime successful Group E

It was a frantic and thrilling Thursday nighttime which began with Belgium, the broadside ranked 2nd successful the world, being eliminated by a goalless gully with Croatia successful Group F.

And halfway done the 2nd fractional of the precocious games, some Germany and 2010 winners Spain were acceptable for an aboriginal exit.

At the interruption Germany had a comfy 1-0 pb implicit Costa Rica, with Spain besides winning 1-0 arsenic some European sides seemed to beryllium cruising into the past 16.

Then the play unfolded. Japan levelled against Spain 4 minutes into the 2nd period.

Then, incredibly, 142 seconds aboriginal they were successful front. Japan and Spain, contempt trailing, were heading through. With conscionable nether 40 minutes to spell Germany and Costa Rica were going out.

"The Japan fans astir maine tin hardly judge their eyes," said BBC Sport's Chris Bevan. "An unthinkable turnaround from their team, with the added play of a agelong VAR delay."

"Japan are a wholly antithetic animal," added erstwhile England defender Matthew Upson.

Defeat for Spain wasn't a disaster, unless Costa Rica - past 1-0 down to Germany - took the lead.

But Costa Rica equalised successful the 58th minute, and aft 70 minutes they were ahead. At 2-1 Costa Rica were abruptly acceptable to beforehand with Japan astatine Spain's expense.

However, that pb lasted for lone 3 minutes earlier Kai Havertz levelled for Germany.

For 3 second-half minutes Costa Rica were heading done and Spain were going out

"Germany desperately needed that," said BBC Radio 5 Live's Connor McNamara. "It whitethorn not beryllium capable for them but it could prevention Spain."

"It's hard to support up with what is happening astatine the moment," added Bevan. "There were immense roars present from the Japan fans erstwhile the large surface flashed up what the radical looked similar with Costa Rica winning... but past seconds aboriginal the Spain fans to my close celebrated wildly aft proceeding that Germany had equalised."

'The hostility is unbearable'

Germany would deed 2 further goals to triumph 4-2. But, arsenic agelong arsenic Japan held connected to each 3 points against Spain, the champions successful 2014 would spell out.

"The hostility is unbearable," chuckled Upson.

Spain kept connected coming but Japan, dodgy extremity oregon not, survived until full-time, winning 2-1. They and Spain, contempt their defeat, reached the past 16. Germany and Costa Rica were out.

Spain brag Luis Enrique said helium was not alert his broadside were connected people to caput retired of the tourney erstwhile Costa Rica led Germany.

"If I had recovered out, I would person had a bosom attack," helium confessed.

"For the 2nd tourney successful a row, Germany spell retired successful the radical stages," added McNamara. "One of the truly large guns, 1 of the four-time winners of the World Cup, they are retired of Qatar 2022. It's 1 of those nights wherever it conscionable hasn't been enough."

"Incredible doesn't bash it justice," said 5 Live main shot newsman Ian Dennis. "The play fluctuated passim the people of the 2nd half.

"We've had a crippled that was the shot equivalent of snakes and ladders."

Former England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley summed it up champion though, simply saying: "It was chaos."

• Fifa World Cup: Groups and schedule
• World Cup TV sum guide

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