Rostov-on-Don (Russia): Scintillating, exciting, edge-of-the-seat thriller – well no adjective would be competent enough to describe the Belgium-Japan last 16 World Cup game here, Monday. Sports can be cruel and at times there has to be a loser. Belgium emerged victorious by a 3-2 aggregate against Japan with a goal in virtually the last second of added time. But then again it was match in which football emerged proud winner and Japan vanquished but not shamed.
Nacer Chadli scored a stunning winnner as Belgium fought back from 0-2 down to defeat Japan and advance to a World Cup quarterfinal showdown with Brazil here.
Thibaut Courtois, the Belgian goalkeeper found Kevin de Bryune with an incisive throwdown after collecting a high ball of a corner. With the Japanese defenders desperately trying to regain their defensive positions De Bryune sped down the middle before feeding Thomas Meunier on wide right. Romelu Lukaku sold a lovely dummy to the Meunier cross to flummox the Japan defence and there was Chadli to deliver the knockout blow. Game, set and match to the Red Devils. The goal enabled Belgium become the first team in 48 years to successfully overturn a 0-2 deficit in a World Cup knockout game.
Goals by Genki Haraguchi and Takashi Inui in four devastating minutes had put Japan 2-0 up early in the second half to leave Belgium reeling.
However, the Red Devils responded with quick goals of their own as Jan Vertonghen, at fault for Haraguchi’s goal, and Marouane Fellaini both scored headers to restore parity for Belgium.
From the start, the Blue Samurai’s tactics were clear – harass and hurry their opponents every time they were on the ball, while living off scraps. It almost paid off.
After a goalless first half, the game exploded into life after the break. Japan took the lead when they won possession deep in their own half.
The ball was moved downfield quickly and when Vertonghen failed to intercept the final pass, Haraguchi sprinted clear. He placed his shot just past Courtois’ despairing glove and inside the far post on 48 minutes to delight Japanese fans.
Falling behind rattled the Belgians as Hazard clattered the post moments later. Japan doubled their lead on 52 minutes when Inui unleashed a thunderbolt right-footed shot which flew past the despairing Courtois.
Desperate for a goal to get them back in the game, Lukaku headed wide with an hour approaching. Confidence grew in the Japanese ranks with attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa calling the shots. He kept a constant supply of the ball to both the flanks, thereby stretching the Belgian defence.
With 25 minutes left, Martinez swapped Fellaini and Chadli for Dries Mertens and Yannick Carrasco, which sparked the Belgium response.
Vertonghen made amends for his mistake in the build-up to Japan’s opening goal when his speculative header from out wide left looped over Japanese custodian Eiji Kawashima’s grasp on 69 minutes.
Then Belgium drew level when Hazard’s pin-point ball found Fellaini in the middle and the Manchester United midfielder unleashed an unstoppable header on 74 minutes.
It was end-to-end stuff for the final quarter of an hour. As his defence started to tire, goalkeeper Kawashima kept Japan in the game his side with two saves in quick succession to deny Chadli and Lukaku.
At the other end, Courtois saved Keisuke Honda’s wickedly curling free-kick for a corner and then that led to the winning goal. The Japanese defenders had come up for the high ball and once Courtois got the ball and started the counter-attack, they were caught napping.
Goalkeepers are often said to be the last line of defence and the first line of offence. Courtois proved it to deadly effect. The Blue Samurai’s had fallen.
- Belgium became the first team in 48 years to overturn a 0-2 deficit and win a game a World Cup knockout game
- Belgium got back in the game after the introduction of Nacer Chadli and Marouane Fellaini
- According to ‘Fox Sports’ the devastating counter-attack from the Belgian end to the Japanese goal took 9.9 seconds