Japan rock Spain to enter the Round of 16 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and spell doom for Germany

Japan edged past Spain 2-1 in their last league match in Group E to slam the doors on Germany and enter the Round of 16 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup late on Thursday night. The Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, turned out to be a burial ground of sorts for the Germans.

Even though they were playing at another venue and won against Costa Rica, Japan’s against-all-odds triumph was a script that few had thought of. Just imagine the drama which unfolded in the space of a few hours. Spain did qualify as well, but for Germany to be jolted was terrible. First things first, Japan have not been the surprise package of this World Cup.

They have been like dynamite, exploding at the right time and ripping everything around in the vicinity. Figuratively speaking, Germany were playing at another venue not too far but would have never imagined they would be blown away. This was not a fluke, Japan storming into the Last 16. It also showed that their identical 2-1 win against Germany on November 23 was planned and executed well.

What Japan did against Spain was stuff that you would not usually associate with an Asian team. Perhaps, it is that underdog tag plus less pressure on them, they have played so far with freedom and feel. For the record, the Japanese players, at least four of them, feature in Germany’s own club leagues — Bundesliga and lower tier events.

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Asian giants Japan show opportunism and confidence to chalk out another crazy win in tough Group E at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

They have picked up more than just tips and shown that they can translate efforts into reality with a bang. Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka pumped in goals to emerge as the Samurai warriors against Spain, which left people dazed around the world. To oust the Tiki Taka guys in a match with great significance sent shivers down the spines of German fans.

Just imagine, Germany have won the Jules Rimet trophy four times. Those were the days when they had legends like Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Lothar Matthaus, Jurgen Klinsmann, and Miroslav Klose in their ranks. Add to it the name of Mario Gotze, the hero of their last win in 2014, and Germany have lost the plot.

If their exit at the group stage in 2018 in Russia was an aberration, to be bombed out in Qatar was shameful. Football is still the preserve of nations from Europe who have so many playing opportunities. Football in Western European countries is about passion, money, and great viewership. All that has been blown to smithereens by Japan, the silent assassins.

There is so much to learn from Japan. And, at the same time, there is so much for Spain to worry about from here onwards, as the knockout stage will be ruthless and razor-sharp. Japan have been playing club football at home in the J-league for long. They certainly have a hang of the sport.

Defining features are speed and discipline, which was mirrored even in the wee hours of Friday in Asia, when the final result happened in Group E. On the sidelines, the Japanese fans were patient, smiling, and ready to celebrate. Social media has been flooded with images of Japanese fans cleaning up the stadia after they have enjoyed a good game. They do not leave it littered, but spick and span.

Anyone who has been to Japan will understand how much they value discipline in life, being meticulous, and working with precision. This is in their daily life. For it to be implemented on the football pitch has been breathtaking, simply because no team has been as vibrant as Japan. Japan’s coach Hajime Moriyasu believes the rest of the world is catching up with European football.

These were words he said a day before the match. He had also spoken of his team (Japan) wanting to believe in themselves. “The whole world is keeping in step with European football. Both tactically and physically, I think there are similarities in trends across the world, and the gap is narrowing,” he had said two days ago.

As Japan won their match and sealed a berth in the pre-quarterfinals, there were massive celebrations back home. Fans came onto the streets in Tokyo early morning Friday and celebrated. “Japan, bravo! Japan, bravo!”, they cheered with the national flag in their hand. They also sang the Vamos Nippon football chant.

When the match began in Qatar, it was 4 am local time in Japan. To watch the match at that time and then heading to the office and celebrating on the way captures the mood. The political leadership in Japan, too, took to social media to congratulate the team.

A word about scorer Ritsu Doan. The 22-year-old was playing as a sub in the match against Germany. Against Spain, he was in from start and played with freedom. As for Ao Tanaka’s goal, it seemed controversial, at least that was the drama played out.

VAR (video assisted replays) took time before declaring it legitimate to seal the fate of Germany. From one angle, there was confusion if the ball being out of play. Eventually, it’s Germany now out of play, literally, in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

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