The biggest sporting event in the world continues with the Group F Germany v Japan clash that starts the Group E adventures.
With so many games and so little time, our Group F Germany v Japan Match Centre tries to sum it all up as quickly as possible before and after the game. We watch and follow the game so you don’t have to.
With answers to the key questions prior to the match and our Minutes that Mattered summary and stats post game, it is a real Who Cares guide to the 2022 World Cup for the person on the go.
Enjoy the Group F Germany v Japan Match Centre.
KICKOFF – SUNDAY 20th NOV – 16:00 (QATAR) 13:00 (UK) 0:00 (AEDT)
Group F Germany v Japan Match Review
Japan have caused a second huge upset in as many days at the 2022 World Cup as they came from behind to beat Germany 2-1.
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
5′ Min First corner of the match goes to Japan, and the ball is easily cleared away by the Germans.
8′ Min Ball is in the back of the net for Japan, but offside is called straight away. A shame as it was a beautiful move. Japan stealing the ball off Germany just inside their own half, and then a nice wide pass then a perfect cross met by a perfect run by Daizen Maeda who buried the shot in the net, For nothing, this time.
10′ Min Germany don’t look all that smooth in the early parts of the game, playing without the efficiency you;d expect from the team and the train in their country. Japan on the other hand look lively.
15′ Min Time for Germany to have a corner. After the now tradition of the ref getting up two players for wrestling in the box, then they continue doing after the ref stops looking. No score from the corner but Rüdiger does get in a cracking shot and just wide of the post for Germany’s best effort thus far.
20′ Min Germany on the attack again and Joshua Kimmich unleashes a great shot from the edge of the box but it is stopped by the Japanese keeper, and Germany are then called offside as they tried to score from the rebound. It’s a lot better from the Germans and Japan are holding on for now.
27′ Min Germany are in full press mode now, and a goal feels like it’s just a matter of time. Another shot on target from outside the box goes straight to the keeper by İlkay Gündoğan. Maybe he’s enjoying being able to take long range shots unlike his club team.
29′ Min Germany have some more shots on the Japanese goal, the first one being saved at the nearest post and the second blocked by the Japanese defence. They are spending so so much time in the Japanese half, the Japanese should be charging them rent.
31′ Min PENALTY TO GERMANY
Germany continue to pressure Japan and a dangerous cross from Kimmich is met in the left side of the penalty area by David Raum. As Raum turns his back to run from the approaching Japanese keeper Gonda, the Japanese shot stopped bundles Raum over. Nothing sinister, just a bad piece of timing for Japan. Looked like a game of leapfrog gone wrong.
İlkay Gündoğan steps up for Germany……
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLL TO GERMANY
GERMANY 1 JAPAN 0
36′ Min Some joy for Japan with a corner. Although the ball ends up at the other end with their keeper, so not sure if that was all worth it.
39′ Min Martin Tyler, one of the great football commentators, has described Germany’s performance as “efficient”. Good. The trains are running on time again.
41′ Min A huge crowd noise fills the TV, one usually saved for streakers in Australia, but the TV cameras pan to a giant Mexican Wave. Above time we say.
45′ Min Just a little sneak peek at the player a lot were talking about going into this game – Jamal Musiala. A few good runs and shots in the first half is just an entree for later in the game or tournament.
45′ Min +4 Kai Havertz has put the ball into the back of the net but it looks a pretty obvious offside. Thankfully VAR takes a minute more than it needs, but eventually Havertz’s goal is ruled out. Kimmich is involved again with another shot in the lead up. Despite the all the excitement, half time is called. Japan should be happy to get away with just a 1-0 deficit.
HALF TIME – GERMANY 1 JAPAN 0
55′ Min It’s been a pretty subdued start to the second half from both sides. Japan make a double substitution
58′ Min First real chance of the second half as Gundogan’s shot goes just wide of the post. That was close for Japan. Germany could have scored within a minute but Japan’s defence scrambled well. Japan too go up the other end and have a decent attempt on goal as well. The current theme is no one scored yet.
64′ Min Rudiger’s work in escorting the ball over the line from a Japanese attack is worth a watch.
66′ Min Corner for Japan, and the Blue Samarai go close, but Germany clear it well, as they do a few minutes later with a Japanese break. Japan now the team slightly on top, and Germany’s lead is only 1-0.
71′ Min Japanese goal keeper Gonda is really earning the money, with two double saves in a 30 second range to stop Germany extending their lead. Somehow Germany still lead by just 1-0.
73′ Min What a save from Neuer to deny the Japanese from equalising. Ito’s strike was straight and true, but a brilliant save keeps Germany in front.
75′ Min GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL FOR JAPAN
Japan attacked down the left, and the squared ball along the six yard box line from Takumi Minamino was batted away by Neuer but unfortunately for him the rebound goes straight to Ritsu Dōan who buries it in the back of the net for the big, big equaliser.
GERMANY 1 JAPAN 1
83′ Min GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL FOR JAPAN
Japan go long from a free kick deep inside their half, and the ball falls to Takuma Asano on the right, who collects the ball on the run over his shoulder, he then heads towards the posts and takes on Neuer from an impossibly tight angle, but blasts it hard enough to score. How does he get that through? What a goal. What an upset looming here.
GERMANY 1 JAPAN 2
85′ Min Corner for Germany as they attempt to find an equaliser themselves now. The corner is dealt with, but the referee has stopped play for a VAR check. Apparently nothing wrong so play on.
88′ Min Japan attack the German defense again, and a tussle in the penalty box leads to calls by Japanese players, but referee is having nothing of it. Same with Var.
90′ Min Seven minutes of added time. We’re not sure why it was seven. Except there’ll be something dodgy behind it with FIFA involved.
90′ +4 Min Germany really going on the attack now. A few half chances, the best attempt goes to Leon Goretzka who only just misses the goal to the right.
90′ +6 Min Free kick to Germany, and always good to see the goal keeper up for the corner. It’s not a bad effort, and Neuer got close as well, but the ball goes wide.
90′ +8 Min The final whistle goes and Japan have caused a second upset in as many days, both of the upsets coming from Asian nations against really big games. This result now shakes up the group of death, and indeed the tournament if Germany don’t make it out of the group stage.
Final Score
GERMANY 1
Gundogan 33′ (Pen)
JAPAN 2
Doan 75′ Asano 83′
HT Germany 1-0
Player of the Match
Joshua Kimmich, Takuma Asano, Both Keepers.
Group F Germany v Japan Match Stats
Group F Germany v Japan Starting Teams
GERMANY (4-2-3-1)
1 Neuer
15 Süle
2 Rüdiger
23 Schlotterbeck
3 Raum
6 Kimmich
21 Gündogan
10 Gnabry
13 Müller
14 Musiala
7 Havertz
JAPAN (4-2-3-1)
12 Gonda
19 H Sa kai
4 Itakura
22 Yoshida
5 Nagatomo
6 Endo
17Tanaka
14 Ito
15 Kamada
11 Kubo
25 Maeda
Group F Germany v Japan Match Preview
Why should you care?
Germany are one of the big guns for the tournament, and so the debut of one of the big teams is always interesting. Germany have no worries about the UEFA World Cup winners curse this time around, and are expected to breeze into the second round.
Throw in we have some pre World Wars German heritage and have a German playing shirt to wear to accompany the Mannschaft’s games, there’s plenty of selfish reasons to tune in.
Japan are consistently one of the best Asian teams at the World Cup, so should give Germany a decent game. And their fans are always the most polite and we remember a story about them picking up rubbish after games in Russia.
Who should you care about?
With a best of the Bundesliga it’s hard to pick just one German player to follow. But Serge Gnabry seems to annoy a lot of English football fans when he does well for Germany, as most only remember some underwhelming stints at Arsenal and West Brom. But he has become an integral player for both Bayern Munich and Germany.
You could also throw in Leroy Sane, Ilkay Gundogan, Thomas Muller, but that would be easy, and fill a few paragraphs.
Full 2022 World Cup Squads & Stats
Is there a barely interesting fact?
Germany lost their most recent match at a World Cup v an Asian side, when they went down 2-0 to South Korea on their way to a group stage exit.
Germany (W2 D5 L1) have won only two of the eight games in 2022.
Who will win?
Germany 1 Japan 1
Full 2022 World Cup Predictions
