Group E 2022 FIFA World Cup Review: Japan Beat Spain to Top Group!

Group E 2022 FIFA World Cup Review: Japan Beat Spain to Top Group! The Asians have pulled off two upsets thus far.

Japan defeated Spain 2-1 in their last group match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This means that they have managed to top their group.

Japan 2:1 Spain – Group E

The Spaniards took the lead through Alvaro Morata, who scored his third goal of the tournament. However, the Japanese struck twice in the second half to turn the game on its head.

Ritsu Doan equalised with a ferocious strike past Unai Simon in the Spain goal. Ao Tanaka scored somewhat of a controversial winner to give the Japanese the win.

Spain finishes second and will play Morocco in the last 16. Japan will play Croatia in the next round of matches.

“Big thanks to all our supporters, the people of Japan, for their support,” Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu told the FIFA media.

“Thanks to them, we were able to make it through this difficult match. I’m happy I was able to deliver the victory to everyone and, in terms of a finish, the new aim for us is the last eight.

“The players are showing us a different and new view of being able to fight on the world stage and we would like to set a new record of the quarter-finals or better.” He added.

“In football you deserve it [win] or not and we didn’t deserve it,” Luis Enrique lamented after the loss.

“I’m not happy at all. I would have liked to be on top and win but in five minutes Japan scored two.

“We were dismantled.

“We didn’t have any danger in the first half and then at half-time I told them [Spain players] to be cautious because they [Japan] had nothing to lose. We collapsed and they could have scored two more goals.

“I’m not happy at all. I never celebrate defeats, so we have nothing to celebrate.

“We have qualified but I have nothing to celebrate.” He bemoaned.

Man of the Match: Ao Tanaka (Japan). Group E 2022 FIFA World Cup Review: Japan Beat Spain to Top Group!