Luck of the Devils
Belgium beats Japan 3-2 to reach World Cup quarterfinals
ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia — Jan Vertonghen started Belgium’s comeback with a crazy, looping header and Nacer Chaldi capped it by finishing off a 10-second, endto-end attack in the final moments.
It added up to a 3-2 victory over Japan on Monday that gave the Belgians a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals for the second straight tournament.
Trailing 2-0, Vertonghen scored with a header in the 69th minute that appeared to be a cross but somehow dropped in under the bar. Substitute Marouane Fellaini headed in another from Eden Hazard’s cross in the 74th.
Chaldi, who came on as a substitute in the 65th, decided it with virtually the last kick of the game in the fourth minute of injury time.
Belgium goalkeeper Thibault Courtois grabbed a corner kick and rolled the ball to Kevin De Bruyne, who dribbled to the top of the center circle and passed to Thomas Meunier on the right. Meunier one-timed the ball across the area and Romelu Lukaku let it roll by for Chaldi to tap in with his left foot from 7 yards.
Belgium is the first team to overturn a two-goal deficit in a World Cup knockout match since West Germany beat England in extra time at the 1970 tournament. The last team do it in regulation was when Portugal beat North Korea in the 1966 quarterfinals.
“It’s a test of character. It’s a test of the team,” Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said. “You have to see how the substitutes react, how the whole team reacts.”
Belgium will next face fivetime champion Brazil in the quarterfinals on Friday in Kazan.
The Japanese have now lost in the round of 16 three times without ever reaching the quarterfinals.
BRAZIL 2, MEXICO 0: Neymar flaunted his flair and his theatrics with a goal and an assist Monday at the World Cup.
The world’s most expensive player led Brazil over Mexico 2-0 Monday and into the quarterfinals of the tournament for the seventh straight time.
Neymar broke through Mexico’s stern resistance by setting up the opener when his back-heel released Willian. Neymar then ran into the penalty area and slid to tap Willian’s cross into the net.
While his scoring is so often the focus, Neymar also creates goals for his teammates. A toe-poked attempt to beat Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa in the 88th minute was diverted into the path of Robert Firmino, who scored the second. Neymar has 11 goals and nine assists in his last 19 games for Brazil.
But before setting up the second goal it looked like Neymar’s game — or even his World Cup — could be over with 20 minutes to go. It turned out to be pure histrionics. Writhing in agony after his right ankle was stepped on by Miguel Layun, Neymar managed to get back on his feet. But not before trying to step on Layun. Both escaped punishment.
The five-time World Cup champions will next face either Japan or Belgium in the quarterfinals, the stage they have reached at every World Cup since 1994.
Mexico has now lost at this stage at every tournament over the same period of time, extending its wait for the “quinto partido” — or fifth game — for at least another four years. The last time Mexico reached the quarterfinals was when the country hosted the tournament in 1986.
This year’s World Cup had started so promisingly for Mexico. The team opened with a win over Germany, setting the defending champions on the path to an early exit. They caused problems for Brazil, too, initially.
But they couldn’t find a way to stop Neymar, who has scored two goals in four matches in Russia.
With Germany, Argentina and Spain among the contenders already eliminated, Brazil’s hopes of a sixth World Cup title have received an extra lift