QATAR WORLD CUP 2022 – Japan vs Spain 2-1, Japan makes FIFA history
Let us start with a rhetorical question. What do you think? Did that ball cross the line? Or was it just a mistake? For those who don’t understand what we are saying, you should first watch the spectacular football match between two teams, Spain and Japan. Allow me to explain so that you can have an idea of what I am talking about. Japan scored, but they thought they did.
The referee didn’t give the goal because he was sure the ball did not cross the line extending between the two poles of the opponent’s goalpost. However, a review was taken, and the decision was reversed. They took help from the VAR, and from that, they knew that some part of the ball had crossed the line, so it was declared a goal.
The Japanese attacker gave an extraordinary pass to the striker Kaoru Mitoma who touched the ball and directed it toward the goal of the opponent team. The goal, first denied, was then given to the Japanese team when the VAR intervened. However, most experts of the game and the fans still have reservations over this decision because they argued that the VAR process took longer than usual and that something wasn’t just right.
Furthermore, the Spanish boss Luis Enrique wasn’t happy with the decision. Luis Enrique clearly said something isn’t right, and there is something fishy going on. Luis Enrique argued that if you crop the image taken by the VAR and zoom into it, it looks extremely close. After constant questions from the press, Luis Enrique was determined, and he stood his ground that there has been some tempering with the decision.
The controversy also brought up some old memories relating to objectionable decisions taken in the past when Frank Lampard scored the ghost goal, and to date, there is still uncertainty if that was a score or not. After the win from the Japanese team, they were rewarded with three points making them the kings of their group. Moreover, it meant that the Germans will no longer qualify for further games. As for the Germans, it’s a setback because the four-time world cup winners now face consecutive disqualifications in the world cup.
QATAR WORLD CUP 2022 – Japan vs Spain: Japan Creates History After a Spectacular Win
Moving on, let us now talk about the game play that took place between the two teams. As soon as the ref blew the whistle and the game initiated, the game remained in the possession of the Japanese. In the first half of the game, the Japanese team managed to take most of the possession and had complete control over the ball, leaving the Spanish team stunned. However, Spain still was the first one to score a goal in the first half. After something the second half of the game started, and the Japanese team was under pressure.
The pressure was however relieved because they scored just 4 minutes after starting the second half of the game. The drama continued still as Japan and Spain were necked to the neck. Either team needed to score a goal to take the lead and win the game. Spain gained back their possession and started shooting the ball toward the opponent’s goalpost to land a ball, but the Japanese keeper skillfully defended and diverted those power shots.
The game was nearing its end when the Japanese team shot the ball toward the opponent’s goalpost. It seemed as if the ball didn’t cross the line, but after the VAR, the decision was reversed, and Japan was given the goal, and they won! An unbelievable moment for the Japanese Fans.
