Al Rayyan (Qatar). Spain lost to Japan (1-2) in a match on the third and final day of group E of the World Cup in Qatar 2022, which was played this Thursday at the Al Khalifa stadium in the Qatari town of Al Rayyan, although it achieved a pass to the round of 16, as second in the group: behind the Asian team.
Morata put Spain ahead, in the 11th minute, by heading into the back of the net of the goal defended by Gonda a cross from the right of Azpilicueta. Doan, in the third minute of the restart, and Tanaka, in minute 58, turned the score around
Japan was able to take revenge this Thursday for what happened last year at the Tokyo 2020 Games (postponed one year due to the covid-19 pandemic), when Spain left it out of the Olympic final; and defeated, at the Al Khalifa stadium in Al Rayyan, the Reds, who had a good scare, but went to the round of 16 as second in the group.
Spain and Japan faced each other, with their senior teams, for the second time in their entire history. The previous one, 21 years ago, was a friendly, played at the El Arcángel stadium in Cordoba and resolved in favor of Hispanics thanks to a goal by Rubén Baraja. This time there was much more at stake: the pass to a round of 16 in a World Cup.
The only valid reference was the Olympic semifinal last July. In Kobe, Spain reached the final -which would end up losing to Brazil- after eliminating Japan in the semifinal (who lost the bronze to Mexico); in a game that was resolved, thanks to a goal by Marco Asensio in extra time.
Japan had taken its status as host very seriously and the Japanese Olympic team included twelve of the current World Cup players, including its captain, Maya Yoshida, from German Schalke 04, who this Thursday, when playing against Spain, played his 125th match as international with the blue samurai.
In total there were eight current World Cup players who made up the Japanese eleven that faced Luis de la Fuente’s team that night in July. Along with Yoshida, Hiroki Sakai, Takehiro Tomiyashu, Kou Itakura, Yuki Soma, Wataru Endo, Ritsu Doan and Take Kubo, from Real Sociedad de San Sebastián, also took the field.
On the bench, without intervening, Daizen Maeda, Kaoru Mitoma, Ayase Ueda and Ao Tanaka remained that day, who had declared to Efe last Monday in the mixed zone of Al Sadd -where Japan installed its sports headquarters in Qatar2022-, that “beating Spain” was going to be “difficult, but not a miracle” and that Busquets was his favorite Spanish footballer.
«I saw him play when I was little and I loved it. It will be a real pride to be able to play against him”, added the Fortuna Düsseldorf striker. That he was right, because Japan beat Spain; deservedly. And he was able to see his dream come true, because he played against the Barcelona midfielder and, furthermore, he was the author of the second Japanese goal. Awarded after being reviewed by VAR.
That night, in Kobe, Japan took the lead, thanks to an assist from Kubo, which would be taken advantage of by Doan – who scored the equalizer against Germany, who was later sentenced by Takuma Asano (1-2), and again who scored the equalizer ( 1-1) this Thursday-, to beat Unai Simón, starter this Wednesday with the Red at Al Rayyan.
Spain reacted, above all, thanks to the entry of Pedri -a key piece in Luis Enrique’s schemes-; and tied the game thanks to a goal by Carlos Soler -who participated in the win against Costa Rica- in minute 82; forcing the game to go beyond the 90 regulatory minutes.
In extra time, Marco Asensio, who had replaced Rafa Mir -and who also scored against the Ticos in Qatar- got Spain into the final, in which -after the gold medal at Barcelona’92 (which the current coach won as a player) , Luis Enrique) and silver medalist at Sydney 2000- she would go on to become runner-up and capture her third Olympic soccer medal.
Dani Olmo -another of those who scored on the first day-, as well as Pau Torres -starting this Thursday- and Erik García -still without minutes in Qatar- are the other three World Cup players who participated in the achievement of Olympic silver in the Games of Tokyo.
And among the Asians who played that day in Kobe, their coach, Hajime Moriyasu, entered the eleven that jumped this Thursday to the Khalifa stadium -which hosted the Athletics World Cup three years ago- to Kubo, who was the first to notify this Thursday (m.3), Itakura -whom Morata stole his wallet in the first goal and who saw a card before the break- and Yoshida.
Yuto Nagatomo, in his fourth World Cup and in his 141st match for Japan, raised his own record for World Cup appearances with the blue samurai to 13. A record that will remain to be beaten, after the defeat against Spain; because it seems unlikely that he himself aspires to expand it in four years, when he is 40. The veteran Japanese defense was replaced after the break, as was the realist Kubo, who left his position to Doan, author of the 1-1 .
Tanaka turned the score around and Spain suffered for a few moments, when, in the other match, Costa Rica had done the same -with goals from Tejeda and Vargas- after Gnabry’s German opening goal. La Roja was, at that time, out of the World Cup.
Havertz’s tie put Spain back in the tournament. And the third, again by Havertz, gave a certain calm. Which increased with the fourth, from Füllkrug.
Japan took revenge against Spain and, in addition, it gave her a good scare, because it made her think about packing her bags. The blue samurai go through as first in a group that got complicated after losing last Sunday -also at Al Rayyan, but at the Ahmad Bin Ali stadium- against Costa Rica (0-1, goal by Fuller). Spain will seek the pass to the quarterfinals next Tuesday, against Morocco; Japan will do it a day before, against Croatia.
