4 posts
15 mins ago
Japan wants to invoke the spirit of the samurai warrior against Croatia
By Reuters
Yuto Nagatomo of Japan is challenged by Cesar Azpilicueta of Spain during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match between Japan and Spain at Khalifa International Stadium on December 01, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.
(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Japan will invoke the spirit of the samurai warrior in their match against Croatia, in which they will try to banish the memory of their elimination in the last World Cup and reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
The heartbreaking defeat to Belgium in the round of 16 four years ago, when they relinquished a 2-0 lead and lost on a goal in added time, still haunts Japan, with veteran defender Yuto Nagatomo saying they were desperate to redeem themselves.
"I have never forgotten that battle against Belgium. Sometimes scenes from the game come to mind, and the last four years have been very hard," the winger, who is playing his fourth World Cup, told the press on Sunday.
"But I think we have grown both mentally and physically and...from what I see, this team is the best and strongest team that has ever competed for Japan in the World Cup," he added.
"So tomorrow we aim to beat Croatia and enjoy a new landscape, and I'm looking forward to shouting 'Bravo!
Nagatomo said that beating Germany and Spain to top the group has given enormous confidence to the team, which is looking to win a round of 16 clash for the first time in four attempts.
47 mins ago
Croatia, the runner-up that arrives undefeated but with doubts
The formation of Croatia in the last match against Belgium.
(Photo: OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)
Croatia arrived at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as the last runner-up and with the desire to ratify that achievement, with a team with many of the figures that caressed glory in Russia 2018.
Those led by Luca Modric, however, have not yet managed to show a high level and, although they finished undefeated in the group stage, they had a hard end against Belgium on the last date, since a defeat would have left them eliminated.
After a goalless draw in their debut against Morocco, they showed their best version against weak Canada, with a resounding 4-1 scoreline, despite starting losing.
The closing of the group was the draw against Belgium, in a match in which they were dominated in the second half.
All the goals they have in the tournament, the Croatian team scored against Canada: two were scored by Andrej Kramaric and the rest by Marko Livaja and Lovro Majer.
53 mins ago
The numbers of the surprising Japan
Japan's players react after the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group E football match between Japan and Spain at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on December 1, 2022. (Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)
Japan is one of the great revelations of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. It came with the difficulty of sharing a group with world champions such as Spain and Germany and, when few believed, they beat both and qualified for the round of 16 as first in Group F.
In their debut, the Asians gave the note by beating Germany 2-1, after going down at half-time on the scoreboard.
The defeat on the second date against Costa Rica practically forced them to beat Spain at the end of the group, since everyone ruled out a German victory against the Central Americans.
And once again, Japan came back from behind, winning 2-1 and qualifying first in the zone.
So far, Japan have scored 4 goals and conceded 3 in the first round.
Ritso Doan, with 2 goals, is the team's top scorer, while Takuma Asano and Ao Tanaka scored one each.
57 mins ago
This is how Croatia and Japan reached the round of 16
Croatia and Japan open the day this Monday in the framework of the round of 16 of the World Cup in Qatar 2022.
The Asians are one of the big surprises of the tournament, since they qualified after winning Group E, putting off none other than Spain (it finished second and advanced) and Germany, which ended up eliminated in the first phase for the second time in a row.
Croatia, meanwhile, missed first place in Group F after equalizing on the last day against Belgium.
Morocco ended up winning that area.
World Cup Qatar 2022
