Japan vs spain

Japan defeated Spain at the World Cup in Qatar by a matter of millimeters. A Video Assistant Referee (VAR) ruling was needed after Samurai Blue went up 2-1 against Spain in their final Group E game on Dec. 1. With the score tied 1-1, Japan substitute Ritsu Doan kicked the ball in front of the Spanish goal around six minutes into the second half. The ball slid by the goal post and moved toward the endline. Kaoru Mitoma slid and kicked the ball back in front of the goal, and Ao Tanaka knocked it into the net for the go-ahead score. The Spanish team immediately protested. And on TV screens, the ball did appear to cross out of bounds before Mitomi could touch it. The judges spent about two minutes checking video replays of that moment. According to soccer rules, the entire ball must be completely out of bounds for the play to be called dead. From this angle, the ball appears to be out of bounds in the second half of the Japan-Spain match in Qatar on Dec. 1. (Tatsuro Kanai) From their angle, TV viewers and those at the stadium likely saw a small green patch of pitch between the ball and the goal line, and presumed the ball was indeed out. But that was just the bottom of the ball. An aerial view, as seen by the VAR judges, showed the side of the ball was barely above, and therefore touching, the goal line, meaning it was still in play. So instead of giving Spain a goal kick, the referee signaled that Japan’s goal stood, and the team and its fans erupted again in celebration. • A...

For all their impressive performances in Qatar, Spain are not quite there yet in their pursuit of the last 16, though their fate is firmly in their hands as they face off against Japan on Thursday. A draw will take Luis Enrique's side through and unless Costa Rica stun Germany it would be enough to secure top spot. Their opponent also have a simple equation on paper: if Japan beat Spain, they are through. A draw would leave them relying on the same result in the other match or hoping that Germany only win 1-0. It would be frustrating in the extreme for Hajime Moriyasu if his side were to fall short, qualification seemed to be up for grabs for the Samurai Blue after they stunned Germany in the opener but if things do go wrong they will bemoan their inability to kill off Costa Rica before the CONCACAF side's shock late winner on Matchday 2. Now they need to shock the world again if they are to reach the knockout rounds. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know: How to watch and odds • Date: Thursday, Dec. 1 | Time: 2 p.m. ET • Location: Khalifa International Stadium -- Doha • TV: Fox and Telemundo | Live stream: • Odds: Japan +750; Draw +340; Spain -250 (via Caesars Sportsbook) Storylines Japan: The side that beat Germany in the opening round of fixtures might be have been boosted by those that came off the bench but that did not necessarily require Moriyasu to make wholesale changes for the Costa Rica match, particularly when many of the game-changing s...

• Certain angles appeared to show ball out of play • Goal given after lengthy VAR check • Germany out as a result of Japan's win WHAT HAPPENED? Tanaka slotted home past Unai Simon following Kaoru Mitoma's cross but the ball appeared to be out of play. After a lengthy VAR check, referee Victor Gomes was eventually instructed to award the goal which ultimately resulted in a 2-1 victory for Japan. Tanaka's goal been chalked off and the game finished as a draw. After a VAR check this was confirmed as a goal for Japan 🇯🇵 WHY WAS IT GIVEN? It was initially difficult to determine how exactly VAR reached the conclusion that the goal should be allowed, with global TV broadcasters displaying images that appeared to show the ball was out of play. However, alternative angles that haven't yet been released by FIFA led to the VAR team concluding that the whole ball hadn't actually gone out, and was overhanging the line. Indeed, despite the officials being adamant that they made the right decision, it is undoubtedly one of the most marginal calls of the World Cup so far that will continue to be debated for a long time yet. STORY IN A PHOTO:

Japan came back from a goal down at halftime to beat Spain 2-1 and finish top of the group in truly stunning, heart-stopping fashion at the 2022 World Cup on Thursday. Ahead of matchday 3 in Group E, the simplest math was as follows: a German win, plus a Japanese loss (to Spain), would see the 2014 world champions jump from 4th to 2nd and avoid a second straight World Cup group-stage exit. The first part of that equation seemed to be going relatively straightforward, as Serge Gnabry opened the scoring in the 10th minute. A minute later in the other game, Alvaro Morata put Spain ahead and Germany were going through as things stood. But, Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka struck twice in six minutes to start the second half and overturn the deficit to a European giant, just as they did against Germany in the opener. [ LIVE: World Cup 2022 schedule, how to watch, scores, hub ] Then, something even more unthinkable happened: Costa Rica equalized, and then they went ahead. At that point, they were going through as runners-up. That lasted for all of three minutes, until Kai Havertz lifted the ball over Keylor Navas to make it 2-2. Havertz struck again 12 minutes later to make it 3-2, and give Germany a small glimmer of hope — that Spain might equalize and save Germany from elimination, but they never did. 2022 World Cup top goalscorers: Updated leaders for the FIFA World Cup Golden... How to watch Japan vs Spain live, stream link and start time Kick off : 2pm ET, Thursday (December 1) Sta...