Qatar 2022 World Cup: Japan advances to knockout phase with stunning 2-1 comeback against Spain

2022 카타르 월드컵: 일본, 스페인 꺾고 조 1위로 16강 진출

Staying with the 2022 World Cup.
Thursday saw four teams earn their place in the knockout round of 16.
Japan moved forward with a stunning, but somewhat controversial 2-1 win over Spain.
The big shock was Germany tumbling out of the tournament, despite beating Costa Rica 4-2.
Croatia secured its berth with a nil-nil draw against Belgium eliminating the team ranked second best in the world by FIFA.
And Morocco is through after topping its group with a 2-1 win against the already-eliminated Canada.
Matthew Ashley has the details.

Japan has finished top of the group after a 2-1 victory over Spain.
In doing so Japan has reached the knockout rounds for the second World Cup in a row.
It is the only team from the Asian Football Confederation to make the round of 16 in back-to-back tournaments.
Japan now joins fellow AFC member Australia, who has also qualified for the round of 16.
The first half saw Spain take the lead with a header by Álvaro Morata in the 11th minute.
But Japan levelled the scores in the second half with a powerful shot by Ritsu Doan.
Just three minutes later, Japan got the winning goal, with Ao Tanaka knocking the ball over the line from close range.
Japan held its breath as the referee checked VAR, to see whether the ball went out of play in the build-up to that goal.
But by the finest of margins, it was ruled that the ball had stayed in play and that the goal stood.
Despite the loss Spain also secured a spot in the knockout phase as Costa Rica failed to beat Germany.

For the second time in a row, Germany has crashed out of the World Cup in the group stages.
A 4-2 win over Costa Rica at Al Bayt Stadium wasn't enough for the European side to progress.
Germany opened the scoring with a header by Serge Gnabry in the first ten minutes of the game.
But Costa Rica equalized in the second half with Yeltsin Tejeda scoring from a rebound off Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
The Central American country then took the lead with a bundled goal which went down as an own goal by Neuer.
Germany fired back with Kai Havertz leveling the scores.
The Chelsea player then gave Germany the lead before Niclas Füllkrug finished the match with a fourth goal for Germany.

Runner-up at the 2018 World Cup Croatia is through to the next stage of the tournament after a goalless draw with Belgium
The result means that Belgium number two in the FIFA world rankings, has been knocked out.
Despite having several good chances to score, including Romelu Lukaku hitting the post, the Belgians failed to find the back of the net.
Morocco meanwhile topped Group F with a 2-1 win over Canada --who had already been eliminated.
The North African side got an early lead after Canada's goalkeeper passed the ball to Morocco's Hakim Ziyech who chipped it over the keepers' head and into the goal.
Morocco scored again in the first half with a shot by Youssef En-Nesyri.
Canada was able to pull one back through an own goal by Nayef Aguerd.
Morocco will now play in the round of 16 for the first time since 1986.

The next four matches see teams in groups G and H, play their final group-stage games.
Three teams in Group H are battling it out for a ticket to the round of 16 on Saturday at 12 AM, Korea time.
All eyes in South Korea will be firmly glued to the screen as the Taegeuk Warriors face Portugal who is already through.
South Korea must win and hope that Ghana does not in a tight group that could come down to goal difference.
A win for Ghana would guarantee their passage to the next stage.
Later on at 4 AM a similar situation will play out among the bottom three teams in Group G.
2nd in the group, Switzerland takes on last place Serbia. A win for the Swiss will put them through, but a draw would be enough if Brazil wins or draws with Cameroon in the other match.
A win for Serbia or Cameroon would give them a shot at advancing to the next round, but goal difference would once again be a deciding factor.

Matthew Ashley, Arirang News


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