In their World Cup debut on Wednesday, Japan stunned Germany 2-1, punishing the four-time champions for failing to take use of their opportunities after dominating the first half.
In a potent protest against FIFA’s decision to outlaw rainbow-themed armbands, the German players covered their mouths for the team photo before the game.
The team of Hansi Flick arrived in Qatar under intense pressure to avoid the catastrophe of 2018, when they failed to advance past the group stage while serving as the hosts in Russia.
Ilkay Gundogan’s first-half penalty gave them the lead, and they should have been in the lead after creating a ton of chances.
However, Japan persevered, as Ritsu Doan, a substitute, equalized the score in the 75th minute.
Eight minutes later, Takuma Asano completed a spectacular comeback by blasting the ball into the goal to excite the noisy Japanese crowd.
With games remaining in Group E against Spain and Costa Rica, Germany’s chances of competing in the World Cup are now in jeopardy.
After a stunning comeback that appeared improbable at the conclusion of the first half, Japan is vying for a spot in the knockout phase.
The Blue Samurai got off to a strong start when Daizen Maeda scored in the eighth minute, only for the linesman to call him offside.
