Sport & Entertainment
| Nov 23, 2022

Japan stun Germany with late strikes at World Cup

/ Our Today

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Japan’s Maya Yoshida and Kou Itakura react. (Photo: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

DOHA (Reuters)

Goals from substitutes Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano in the last 15 minutes gave Japan a stunning 2-1 upset over four-times champions Germany in their World Cup Group E opener today (November 23).

The Germans had dominated the contest at the Khalifa International Stadium and taken the lead with a 33rd minute penalty from Ilkay Guendogan after Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda had fouled wing back David Raum.

Germany’s Leon Goretzka reacts. (Photo: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

The second goal never came, however, and Japan’s raids into the German half became more and more frequent, culminating in Doan’s equaliser and a brilliant finish from Asano eight minutes later.

The defeat was the third in a row in the opening match of a major championship for Germany after a loss to Mexico at the 2018 World Cup, when they bowed out in the first round as champions, and to France at Euro 2020.

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