Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano’s goals in the final 15 minutes secured a shock upset against four-time winners in the Group E opener. Germany suffered its third defeat in a row in the opening match of a major tournament, with players covering their lips for a team photo in protest over a ban on rainbow armbands.
Japan surprised Germany 2-1 in their World Cup opening on Wednesday, punishing the four-time winners for failing to capitalize on opportunities after dominating the first half. In a striking protest against Fifa’s decision to prohibit rainbow-themed armbands, the German side covered their mouths for the team photo before the match. Germany arrived in Qatar under intense pressure to avoid the calamity of 2018 when they failed to advance from the group stage as World Cup holders in Russia.
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Hansi Flick’s team seized the lead with a penalty from Ilkay Gundogan in the first half and should have been out of sight after producing a slew of chances. But Japan held on and equalized in the 75th minute with replacement Ritsu Doan. Takuma Asano then completed an incredible comeback eight minutes later, slamming the ball home to send the Japanese bench and noisy fans berserk. To add to the plot, Doan and Asano both play in the German Bundesliga.
The players came together as one team, we prepared well, and we hung in there, which resulted in the win,” stated Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu. A large number of our admirers traveled to Doha to cheer us on. I want us to have a cool head after this and analyze what we may have done better in order to win the next game.”
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Germany’s World Cup fate is once again in doubt, with games against Spain and Costa Rica remaining in Group E. We made things too simple for Japan.” “I don’t think an easier World Cup goal has ever been scored,” Gundogan told Germany’s ARD television network. This cannot happen to us.