Japan rallies past Germany in another unbelievable 2022 World Cup stunner

We have another World Cup shocker.

One day after Saudi Arabia pulled off a 2-1 upset over Lionel Messi and Argentina, Japan did the same to Germany.

“I believe it’s a historic moment, a historic victory. If I think about the development of Japanese soccer, thinking of players, for them this was a big surprise,” said Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, who had five Germany-based players in his starting lineup and three, including the scorers, on the bench.

The Germans dominated the first 74 minutes of the game, surrendering only one shot on goal while getting nine of their own, scoring one on a 33rd-minute penalty from Ilkay Gündogan.

The whole game changed, though, when Takumi Minamino subbed in for Japan. One minute after he entered the game, he scored an equalizing goal after his first shot attempt was saved.

A draw between the two teams would have been shocking on its own, but eight minutes after evening the game Japan added a second in the 83rd minute on a Takuma Asano goal that he roofed into the net past keeper Manuel Neuer. Both Japanese goals were scored by substitutes.

It gives Japan an early advantage in Group E, which also includes Costa Rica and Spain.

“We fought as a team,” goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda said. “We have to make sure we never stop.”

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The loss continues an unsettling trend for Germany in the World Cup. After winning it all in 2014, the Germans fell victim to the winner’s curse, failing to make it out of the group stage in 2018 for the first time since 1978.

“It’s brutally disappointing, not only for the players, but also the coaching team,” Germany coach Hansi Flick said. “We deserved to go in front. It was more than deserved. Then you have to say that Japan gave us a lesson in efficiency.”

In 2018, Germany also lost its opener to Mexico before scoring a late winning goal against Sweden to keep its hopes of advancing to the knockout stages alive. In their last group stage game, though, the Germans fell to South Korea, allowing two stoppage-time goals and finished last in their group.

For Japan, it is a dream start to its World Cup. It got three important points in a group that includes two teams in the top 11 of the FIFA rankings. A win in the first game of the tournament gives teams an 83.6 percent chance to make it to the knockout round. It would be the second straight World Cup that Japan would have made it out of the group stage.

On the other side, teams that lose the opening match only make it through 11 percent of the time, but Germany has the talent to do so.

Germany was a pre-tournament favorite and the question in Group E when the draw took place was whether Spain or Germany would win the group, with few giving Costa Rica and Japan much thought. Spain held up its end of the bargain, dominating Costa Rica in the other Group E match.

— With Post wires