Japan shock four-time champions Germany 2-1 in 2022 Qatar World Cup

Germany’s Kai Havertz, Leon Goretzka and Nico Schlotterbeck look dejected after Japan’s Ritsu Doan scored their first goal during their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match at Khalifa International Stadium, Doha on Wednesday. (Reuters)

• The upset came after Saudi Arabia surprised Argentina on Tuesday
• The game was the first time Japan’s national football team faced a European team that has won the World Cup title

DUBAI: Japan won its first match at the FIFA World Cup against four-time champions Germany at Al Khalifa Stadium in Doha on Wednesday, with the score at 2-1.
This is the second upset during this 2022 tournament in Qatar, with Saudi Arabia beating Argentina in yesterday’s match, with a similar scoreline.
Japan, which ranked 24th in the FIFA rankings, faced Germany, ranked 11th, for the first time in 16 years.
At a press conference held on Tuesday, Japan’s coach MORIYASU Hajjime expressed his aspiration and said he hoped Japan would enter the match with the goal of “changing history.”
The game was the first time Japan’s national football team faced a European team that has won the World Cup title.
During the past three World Cups, Japan was eliminated during the first round.
Coach Moriyasu experienced the “Doha Tragedy” in 1993, when Japan missed out on qualifying for the World Cup for the first time during his playing days.
German Counterpart Hansi Flick said he was impressed by the impact Japanese players have had in the Bundesliga.
“I have to put myself as a bit of a fan of Japanese soccer,” the Germany coach said. “You have a team, players who are very well developed, technically as well as tactically. They’re really, really good. And we see that quality in the Bundesliga.”
In terms of predictions, many said the match would be a tough one, with both teams operating at a high caliber with quality football players.
Tomonosuke the Ninja, however, predicted Japan to win using Kasamawashi to guess the outcome.
This was the lineup of the Japanese team playing on Wednesday:
GK: Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg)
GK: Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse)
GK: Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden)
DF: Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal)
DF: Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale)
DF: Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo)
DF: Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale)
DF: Maya Yoshida (Schalke 04)
DF: Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Red Diamonds)
DF: Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart)
DF: Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach)
MF: Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes)
MF: Takumi Minamino (Monaco)
MF: Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad)
MF: Hidemasa Morita (Sporting CP)
MF: Wataru Endo (Stuttgart)
MF: Junya Ito (Reims)
MF: Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf)
MF: Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton)
MF: Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt)
MF: Ritsu Doan (Freiburg)
MF: Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus)
FW: Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge)
FW: Takuma Asano (Bochum)
FW: Daizen Maeda (Celtic)
FW: Shuto Machino (Shonan Bellmare)