Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the FIFA World Cup group E match between Germany and Japan at the Khalifa international stadium.
What a game this has been. Being down and out at the end of first half, Japan came in all guns blazing in the second to snatch an unlikely win. After Saudi Arabia’s win against Argentina, Japan is the next team to produce an upset. Takuma Asano and Ritsu Doan were the superstars as Japan jumps to the top of Group E. Will this loss dent Germany’s chances of qualifying to the knockouts? - Here is our analysis
Free-kick for Germany and Kimmich takes it. He puts in a well placed long ball but the German players fail to capitalise the set piece. Could this be the last kick of the match?
Moukoko on the left puts in a teasing cross as he nutmegs a defender to find Goretzka but the latter fails to latch on to the ball. There is a protest from German players as they claim Gotze was pushed. But the referee thinks otherwise
Seven added minutes. Germany’s attack attempts are in vein as Japan’s defense is as solid as it gets. Seven minutes for japan to defend and seven for the four-time champion to salvage a draw
Gnabry OUT, Moukoko IN
83’
Germany has seven goals (excluding this match) in two encounters against Japan and all the seven came in the second half. History favoouring the Germans but Japan has the firepower to cause an upset
75’ JAPAN EQUALISES
Sakai OUT, Minamino IN
Tanaka OUT, Doan IN
GONDAA!!! He puts in two brilliant saves to deny Gnabry. Musiala it is yet again with the pass. Corner for Germany but it doesn’t test the Japanese defense
Japan continues to threaten as Sakai on the right came in with a brilliant run to find Asano inside the bo but the latter is marked by Rudiger. So the ball is put out of danger
Gundogan OUT, Goretzka IN; Muller OUT, Hofmann IN
Japan finally has something to cheer about. The Japanese players have been in possession of the ball for quite a while now. And Asano yet again attempts a shot but Neur punches it out for a corner.
Asano attempted to make immediate impact. He runs through the right flank but Rudiger averts danger with his trademark run.
Musiala is brought down by Itakura and he is let off the leash with just a warning. Free-kick for Germany but nothing comes off it
GUNDOGAN!! SO CLOSE!! He shoots but the ball rattles the post. The Manchester City midfielder has been so good siince the start of the game and he deserved this goal.
Musiala yet again. Exploiting the defense on the left but is finally marked. He then passes to Raum and he in turn crosses but Gonda is there to save it
Nagamoto OUT, Mitoma IN ; Maeda OUT, Asano IN
Germany is in absolute control of the ball this half. Raum makes a brilliant run way back from the German half and puts in a through ball hoping to find Havertz but it is too fast for the Chelsea forward. Gonda deflects it and the ball goes to Kimmich, he puts in a pass but it is cleared.
Jamal Musiala!! Would’ve been an outstanding goal if it was on target. From the left he maneuvers past the Japan defense and shoots but the ball brushes past the crossbar. Musiala making heads turn!
What a run from Ito there. He moves past three defenders but loses possession. Kamada is there to shoot but it is deflected for a corner. A searching ball but nothing comes off it though
Muller does well on the right with a good run to eventually find Gnabry but the latter squanders. He had options but he attempted to finish it but the ball goes wide
Kubo OUT, Tomiyasu IN
Kamada starts the play as Japan hunts for an equaliser. Germany meanwhile, will look to maintain the momentum
German players covered their mouths during their team photo prior to their Group E game against Japan, in order to mark their protest on their captain, Manuel Neuer, being denied permission to wear the ‘OneLove’ armband for the Qatar World Cup. - READ MORE
An electric first half come to an end. Japan was dominating from the start but has been slacking after conceding the penalty. Hansi Flick meanwhile will be impressed by his team’s performance towards the end of this half. Will Gundogan’s penalty be enough for Germany to sail through or will the Havertz offside goal prove costly for the World Cup giant?
OFFSIDE!! Kai Havertz finds the back of the net and it is given. But the referee points towards the VAR monitor after Japan players protest. The VAR indeed shows that Havertz was offside and the goal is cancelled out
Japan is in a position that no other team desires. It is yet to hit a shot on target and it is almost the end of first half
Four added minutes - if you’re wondering why so much injury time is added in Qatar WC? - here is why
Sule links up to Kimmich who then finds Musiala and the Munich man attempts an atrocious shot and it goes well off the target
Germany is peaking right at the end of first half. A long ball from Kimmich comes in and Musiala on the right collects it. He puts in a cross to change the line of play but the Japanese defense steps up
Japan looks constantly troubled. Muller from the left picks Kimmich right outside the box and the latter lets one fly. Although it is off the mark, these are worrying signs for Moriyasu’s side as their defense is getting tested regularly
Looks like that goal has taken a toll on Japan players and the German attack exploits it. Kimmich finds Havertz on the right and the Chelsea player puts in a cross but it’s intercepted. Some breathing space for Japan
Corner for Japan and Kamada takes it. His long ball finds no one and the ball is cleared easily
33’ GOAAALLLLL
PENALTY FOR GERMANY!!! Sloppy work from Gonda. Kimmich from the right put in an inch perfect through ball to find Raumm, the latter turns and is dragged down by Gonda.
Germany and Japan are meeting for the first time at the FIFA World Cup. Germany is unbeaten in its two previous encounters with Japan (W1 D1), both friendly internationals in 2004 (3-0) and 2006 (2-2).
Gnabry-Gundogan leads to a dangerous German attack. Gnabry finds Gundogan in the middle and the latter wastes no time and shoots but it is too straightforward and Gonda grabs it.
Gundogan initiates the German attack as he puts in a nutmeg to find Gnabry who then moves forward and finds Havertz deep inside the box. A tackle comes in to stop the attack. Referee points towards VAR for a possible handball but the visuals show otherwise
Corner for Japan and Kamada takes it. He puts in a low ball to find Yoshida who in turn dishes out a cross but nothing comes off it
Brilliant save from Gonda as he stops a bullet from Kimmich who let it fly outside the box. Gundogan tries to finish on the rebound but is called offside.
Free-kick for Germany as Muller is brought down by Kubo. Kimmich takes it immediately and picks Gundogan who puts in a good high ball. Gnabry tries to get control of it and even gets it but there is no one to collect his pass and the danger is averted.
Corner for Germany and Kimmich takes it. Beautiful delivery from the Bayern Munich man and Rudiger receives it perfectly. The latter tries a header but it falls just wide. Germany getting some much needed boost
Sakai is down in agony as a collison with Raum caused some discomfort to him. He’s quickly back on his feet
A battle for possession in the middle as the teams lose the ball constantly. Japan currently has the upper-hand as they have been in control of the ball for a few minutes now.
Attack brewing on the right from Japan as Ito initiates it. He tries to find Kamada but is intercepted by Kimmich
OFFSIDEE!!! What could have been! Maeda it is yet again, makes a brilliant run and gets the ball perfectly but is caught offside. The through ball came from Tanaka. Japan in control of the game now
Sule gets a throw in, he attempts one but it is cut half way through as Muller fails to get to the ball. That means a counter attack from Japan is on but nothing comes off it as Rudiger-Neur combo saves it.
Rudiger being Rudiger here. Maeda attempts to dribble past the Real Madrid player but is stopped in his tracks. Cleanly cut by Rudiger
Germany has hit the gas pedal right from the get go. It looks threatening deep inside the Japanese half but in the end gets disposessed.
Germany starts the proceedings, Musiala will be the player to watch out for. The 19-year old has had an excellent season thus far in the Bundesliga.
As we speak, the players have made their way into the middle and have lined up for the national anthems. First comes Germany’s anthem followed by Japan.
Just under 10 minutes for the kick-off. Will the four-time champion cruise through or will we witness yet another upset? Japan under Hajime Moriyasu has been in incredible form for quite a while now. A mouth-watering clash awaits!
LINE-UPS OUT!
Stat attack
Predicted XI
Head-to-head
Form guide
PREVIEW
Germany gearing up to handle pressure in group opener against Japan
Germany goes into its World Cup Group E opener against Japan on Wednesday, knowing that this one game could potentially make or break its tournament hopes.
With 2010 world champion Spain awaiting next, the Germans cannot afford any slip-up against the Japanese and risk a potential early exit again.
The four-time champion has arrived in Qatar, a new team since its 2018 World Cup first-round shock elimination. It has since changed its coach, and a number of players and even dropped its official monicker ‘Die Mannschaft’.
Those four years since the Russian debacle - its earliest World Cup exit in more than 80 years - have been far from successful, with the Germans relegated from the Nations League in 2018 before rule changes kept it alive in the competition, and then crashing out of the Euro at the Round of 16 last year.
With new coach Hansi Flick, who won six titles with Bayern in 2021 before taking over just over a year ago, the Germans are hoping they now have what it takes to again make a deep run in the tournament.
“We have to be prepared for a tough battle against Japan,” said team director Oliver Bierhoff this week. “We have to be focused from the very first minute. Then everything is possible with the team.”
What Flick has yet to decide, is whether he will deploy one of his centre forwards, the strong and tall Niclas Fuellkrug, against the Japanese or go with the option of moving a winger such as Kai Havertz into the nine position.
Fuellkrug has been sidelined for the past several days with the flu.
Despite winning nine of its 10 qualifiers Germany has been unconvincing in attack in recent months, and calls for the use of a natural target man have grown considerably louder.
The Japanese know more about Germany’s game than most other teams in the tournament, with no fewer than eight German-based players in their squad.
Japan veteran Yuto Nagatomo said those eight, who include Europa League winner with Eintracht Frankfurt Daichi Kamada, were constantly feeding teammates information on their opponents.
“You don’t even have to ask – in the canteen or on the bus, you’re getting information from everywhere,” said Nagatomo.
Japan has also seen Germany’s weakness in defence and their vulnerability against quick counter-attacks.
An upset in the first match against the Germans could go a long way in getting it past the group stage, just like it had done in 2018 when it narrowly lost to Belgium in the Round of 16.
-REUTERS
When will Germany vs Japan match take place?
Germany vs Japan FIFA World Cup will take place on November 23 at 6:30 PM IST at the Khalifa International stadium
Where can I watch Germany vs Japan World Cup match LIVE on TV?
The Germany vs Japan FIFA World Cup match will be telecasted live on the Sports18 Networks.
Where can I live stream Germany vs Japan World Cup match?
Germany vs Japan FIFA World Cup match can be live streamed on JioCinema.
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