Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg
Japan beat Spain 2-1 in their final Group E match and not without controversy.
The result sends Germany crashing out of the World Cup as they will not be advancing to the next stage for a second consecutive tournament.
Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 on Thursday afternoon but it was not enough, as Japan’s win at the same time meant Japan won Group E with its victories over Germany and Spain, while Spain advanced to the knockout rounds in second via goal difference.
The only way Germany could have qualified was if they replicated the massive 7-0 first game win Spain pulled off against Costa Rica earlier to have any tiebreaker edge.
Germany out
Germany won the 2014 World Cup in an exciting final against Argentina.
But the Germans finished last in their group in 2018 behind Sweden, Mexico and South Korea to become the third consecutive defending World Cup champion to fail to make it out of the group stage.
France broke that streak in this 2022 World Cup by winning Group D.
How match went
Spain took an early 1-0 11th-minute lead thanks to an Alvaro Morata goal.
Japan then scored two goals in the first seven minutes of the second half.
The goals came less than four minutes apart.
Ritsu Doan scored to tie the game in the 48th minute.
Ao Tanaka then scored a controversial goal to give Japan the lead.
The game-winner was initially ruled out as it appeared the ball had gone out of play.
But a video review determined that the ball stayed in bounds as the entire circumference of the ball has to cross the out of bounds line totally for it to be out of play.
Statistics showed that Japan averaged possession of just 18 per cent over the course of 90 minutes and they completed 175 passes to Spain’s 991.
The win means that Japan will take on Croatia in the Round of 16 after Croatia drew against Belgium.
Japan has made its second consecutive knockout round appearance.
They have made the Round of 16 in four of their last six World Cup appearances.
Top photos via Fifa