Japan derail German engine

DOHA: The match started with a statement from Germany — their players covered their mouths with their hands in the group photo to protest not being able to wear the One Love arm band.

But it was Japan who ended the match with the kind of statement that set the proverbial cat among the pigeons in Group E of the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar.

Goals from substitutes Ritsu Doan (75’) and Takuma Asano (83’) helped the Blue S a mur a i b e a t the mighty German engine 2-1 and record what will go down as their most famous win.

Japan had never won a World Cup match after conceding the first goal, but did it in some style. After a classic game of two halves, the German players stood in the middle of the pitch in a daze, not quite sure what had hit them.

On successive days, the 2022 World Cup has now seen Argentina and Germany, two of the powerhouses of world football, lose to Asian teams.

As things stand, throw all predictions out of the window, for anything is possible in this World Cup. For Germany, the situation is now grim. If Spain beat them on Sunday, they’ll be in danger of an early exit in the second World Cup in a row.→

Germany deflated as Japan celebrate their team's first goal during the 2-1 win at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha.