He who plays with fire runs the risk of getting burned. And Spain will play the round of 16 with some burns or other. A night as vibrant as thick that drew Luis Enrique’s team in the Khalifa, which required transistors to give it a touch more passion. Wonderful experience for the fan, not so much for the red, whose legs seemed to shake for a few minutes and he clung to the pride of Germany to avoid packing, unable to do his own job. His bitter celebration.
A surprisingly intense Japan emerged victorious and claimed first place, sending Spain to the other side of the draw to face Morocco next Tuesday.
He had the whole game: records, goals, controversy and, above all, the demonstration of why football is the king of sports. Nobody else is capable of offering a menu like the one served yesterday at dinner time in Doha, with four teams fighting for two places that all of them occupied at some point.
The most dramatic moment of the night came late in the second half, with Spain already behind on the scoreboard looking for a draw with one leg and with the other pushing Germany against Costa Rica. At Al Bayt, the Costa Ricans were able to turn the score around and Luis Enrique’s team was out of the World Cup for three minutes. The nerves on the Spanish bench were evident, almost more aware of the German reaction than their own in the face of the inability to put Gonda in trouble. A goal from Havertz and the subsequent reaction of the German roller calmed the spirits of the players and the public. Thus, attention returned to the Khalifa lawn, where he had to play with mathematics. A goal returned Spain to first place in the group and crossed it with Croatia. A scenario that tried to draw the red with great effort and little success, doomed, blessed word when it comes to a World Cup classification, to pass as second and play the first crossing with Morocco.
It is undeniable that the arrival of Luis Enrique has meant a huge leap forward for the Spanish team. The Asturian finished in the Eurocup with nine years without playing a quarterfinal, eliminating his final team and cruelly in the semifinals for Italy. But his bet is risky, with the team always above the names, and with youth as the flag. And when things go wrong it’s not always easy to get back on the right track. This was the case against Japan, against whom he was as recognizable as ever – he amassed 74% possession of the ball – but against whom he lacked many things. Above all, a leader who would calm things down after the two almost consecutive goals from the Japanese had just begun a second half in which they flirted dangerously with elimination. He did not apply himself to the work of Busquets, too insecure, recruited for these fights but he saw himself misplaced and unwise. He did not help either Unai Simón, to whom the World Cup ball is not playing good passes, transmitting too much insecurity when he had to move the ball with his feet. Doan’s equalizer was born from a bad clearance by the man from Vitoria and poor control by Balde, whose shot was mistimed by the Spanish goalkeeper.
Moriyasu’s team sealed the tie after having run after the ball throughout the first half without connecting three or four passes in a row. An inferiority in the game that Morata, also a scorer against Costa Rica and Germany, punished with a good header, linking a historic trio by equaling the milestone signed by Zarra in Brazil 1950. But Spain gave the feeling of speculating because after the 1-0 it just created that much more danger. Later, after the break, still stunned by the tie, he received the second blow when Tanaka finished off the comeback with a goal that will give much to talk about. Before Mitoma’s center it seemed that the ball crossed the end line. The VAR could not confirm it and Taylor validated the goal. A kind of déjà-vu with the same victim, Spain, sadly unforgettable that shot by Morientes that annulled Al Gandur against Korea in the 2002 World Cup.
It will be difficult for Spain to calm down after what they experienced this Thursday, Luis Enrique and his coaching staff will have to apply themselves to erase what happened against Japan and focus all attention on Morocco. He has to heal the burns because the trip is not over.
1 – Spain: Unai Simón; Azpilicueta (Carvajal, m.45), Rodri, Pau Torres, Balde (Jordi Alba, m.68); Busquets, Gavi (Ansu Fati, m.68), Pedri; Nico Williams (Ferran Torres, m.56), Dani Olmo and Morata (Asensio, m.56).
2 – Japan: Gonda; Morita, Taniguchi, Yoshida, Kou Itakura, Nagatomo (Mitoma, m.46); Tanaka (Endo, m.87), Junya Ito; Kamada (Tomiyasu, m.69), Kubo (Doan, m.46) and Maeda (Asano, m.61).
Goals: 0-1, m.12: Morata. 1-1, m.48: Doan. 1-2, m.54: Tanaka.
Referee: Victor Miguel Gomes (South Africa). He booked Itakura (38), Taniguchi (44) and Yoshida (45) for Japan.
Incidents: match corresponding to the third day of Group E played at the Khalifa International Stadium in the presence of 44,851 spectators.
