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A stunning late comeback from Japan saw four-time winners Germany fall to a shock defeat in their opening World Cup game in Qatar.
Germany dominated a frenetic match for large spells but failed to capitalise on their pressure – before Japan caused the Khalifa International Stadium to erupt into a mix of mixed celebration and surprise.
Substitute Takuma Asano squeezed in a thumping strike from a tight angle to make it 2-1 to Japan and ran over to the photographers in the corner of the stadium in sheer delight.
There was a collective pause in the arena as the ball rolled down from the roof of the net before supporters realised it had gone in.
Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan had given Germany the lead from the penalty spot in the first half, before Japan substitute Ritsu Doan equalised in the 75th minute.
The equaliser came after a string of stunning saves at each end – Japan’s Shuichi Gonda pulling off a double stop to deny Serge Gnabry and Jonas Hofmann, before Germany’s Manuel Neuer got his fingertips to Junya Ito’s effort.
Germany, who finished bottom of their group in Russia in 2018, had missed several chances to extend their lead when the score was 1-0.
They face stiff opposition in Group E with 2010 winners Spain to come on Sunday, then a final group game against Costa Rica.
Before kick-off, Germany’s players put their hands over their mouths during a team photo and in the stands a German government minister, Nancy Faeser, wore the OneLove armband.
It comes after news the German football federation is investigating whether it is legal for Fifa to threaten players with sanction for wearing the OneLove armband in Qatar.
The Germany team later tweeted that human rights are “non-negotiable” and “we stand by our position”.
More to follow.
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Germany
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Squad number1Player nameNeuer
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Squad number15Player nameSüle
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Squad number2Player nameRüdiger
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Squad number23Player nameSchlotterbeck
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Squad number3Player nameRaum
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Squad number6Player nameKimmich
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Squad number21Player nameGündogan
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Squad number10Player nameGnabry
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Squad number13Player nameMüller
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Squad number14Player nameMusiala
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Squad number7Player nameHavertz
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Squad number8Player nameGoretzka
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Squad number9Player nameFüllkrug
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Squad number11Player nameGötze
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Squad number18Player nameHofmann
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Squad number26Player nameMoukoko
Japan
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Squad number12Player nameGonda
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Squad number19Player nameH Sakai
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Squad number4Player nameItakura
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Squad number22Player nameYoshida
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Squad number5Player nameNagatomo
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Squad number6Player nameEndo
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Squad number17Player nameTanaka
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Squad number14Player nameIto
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Squad number15Player nameKamada
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Squad number11Player nameKubo
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Squad number25Player nameMaeda
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Squad number8Player nameDoan
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Squad number9Player nameMitoma
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Squad number10Player nameMinamino
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Squad number16Player nameTomiyasu
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Squad number18Player nameAsano
Line-ups
Germany
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Neuer
- 15Süle
- 2Rüdiger
- 23Schlotterbeck
- 3Raum
- 6Kimmich
- 21GündoganSubstituted forGoretzkaat 67′minutes
- 10GnabrySubstituted forMoukokoat 90′minutes
- 13MüllerSubstituted forHofmannat 67′minutes
- 14MusialaSubstituted forGötzeat 79′minutes
- 7HavertzSubstituted forFüllkrugat 79′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Ginter
- 5Kehrer
- 8Goretzka
- 9Füllkrug
- 11Götze
- 12Trapp
- 16Klostermann
- 17Brandt
- 18Hofmann
- 19Sané
- 20Günter
- 22ter Stegen
- 24Adeyemi
- 25Bella-Kotchap
- 26Moukoko
Japan
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 12Gonda
- 19H SakaiSubstituted forMinaminoat 74′minutes
- 4Itakura
- 22Yoshida
- 5NagatomoSubstituted forMitomaat 57′minutes
- 6Endo
- 17TanakaSubstituted forDoanat 71′minutes
- 14Ito
- 15Kamada
- 11KuboSubstituted forTomiyasuat 45′minutes
- 25MaedaSubstituted forAsanoat 57′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Kawashima
- 2Yamane
- 3Taniguchi
- 7Shibasaki
- 8Doan
- 9Mitoma
- 10Minamino
- 13Morita
- 16Tomiyasu
- 18Asano
- 20Machino
- 21Ueda
- 23Schmidt
- 24Soma
- 26Ito
- Referee:
- Iván Arcides Barton Cisneros
- Attendance:
- 42,608
Live Text
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Match ends, Germany 1, Japan 2.
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Second Half ends, Germany 1, Japan 2.
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Corner, Germany. Conceded by Wataru Endo.
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Attempt blocked. Niklas Süle (Germany) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked.
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Antonio Rüdiger (Germany) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Takumi Minamino (Japan).
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Attempt missed. Leon Goretzka (Germany) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
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Mario Götze (Germany) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Takuma Asano (Japan).
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Attempt missed. Antonio Rüdiger (Germany) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nico Schlotterbeck.
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Attempt missed. Niclas Füllkrug (Germany) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Mario Götze with a cross.
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Substitution, Germany. Youssoufa Moukoko replaces Serge Gnabry.
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David Raum (Germany) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Wataru Endo (Japan).
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Corner, Germany. Conceded by Maya Yoshida.
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David Raum (Germany) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Wataru Endo (Japan).
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Goal! Germany 1, Japan 2. Takuma Asano (Japan) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the top right corner. Assisted by Ko Itakura.
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Foul by Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany).
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Wataru Endo (Japan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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