How Japan beat Germany at World Cup: Reasons why Samurai Blue managed huge upset in Qatar 2022 tournament

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Kyle Bonn
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Jamal Musiala and Ilkay Gundogan of Germany with Japan squad World Cup split
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Amid a brutal 2022 World Cup group that features two European giants, Japan knew they would need to spring an upset or two to qualify for the knockout stage.

They did just that in their opening match, coming from behind Wednesday to defeat Germany, 2-1, in shocking fashion.

Germany took a lead in the first half on an Ilkay Gundogan penalty, but failed to capitalize on numerous chances to extend the lead. That allowed Japan a way back into the game as they began to find more joy on the ball in the second half.

Goals from Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano, both on as substitutes, turned the game on its head and left Germany once again feeling World Cup heartbreak.

MORE: A full minute-by-minute recap of Japan's stunning upset of Germany

Japan respond to attack Germany weakness on right flank

Japan were awful in the first half. They accumulated just 42 passes in the first 40 minutes, and barely had a sniff of the ball, while Germany amassed more than 300 passes to that point.

Enter Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu, who made the necessary halftime adjustments and straight up out-coached Hansi Flick from that point on.

Moriyasu noticed that Germany were off-balance thanks to Flick's lack of a right back in the squad. He instead deployed 6-foot-6 natural center-back Niklas Sule on the right, and it resulted in a very left-sided formation. Sule failed to get forward at all and often drifted centrally, and the right winger, Serge Gnabry, was floating all over the field.

At halftime, Moriyasu took off Takefusa Kubo and replaced him with Arsenal right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu, and waited to spring the trap. By the hour mark, he brought on Kaoru Mitoma to play down that left wing, and suddenly the game turned on its head. By the time Flick responded by bringing on his only natural right-back, Jonas Hofmann, it was too late, and Japan had taken control of the match.

Goalkeeper Gonda makes game-changing saves

MORE: Watch every World Cup match live with fuboTV (U.S.-only free trial)

The moment that changed the game was in the 70th minute as Germany looked to grab a second goal. Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda, to that point, had struggled with his decision-making, conceding the first-half penalty that put Germany in front and often looking shaky coming off his line.

Then, he stood tall when it mattered most. Shuichi made a stunning quadruple save that saw Japan immediately grab the momentum. The four shots in that stretch featured a total of 0.75 xG (expected goals) and 1.09 xGOT (expected goals on target).

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The moment turned the game around immediately. Moments later, Junya Ito forced a big save from Manuel Neuer, and Japan equalized two minutes after. By the 83rd minute it had all come crashing down for the European favorites.

Japan finishing world-class, Germany fail in front of net

Given all of the above, the difference in this match was finishing. Germany had countless chances to go two goals up, and they failed in front of net.

Jamal Musiala, Germany's 19-year-old wonderkid, was brilliant on the ball, but his 45th-minute chance created all on his own fizzled just high over the crossbar. Serge Gnabry put a great chance wide in first-half stoppage time. The quadruple save from Shuichi mentioned earlier was their best opportunity.

On the flip side, Japan made the most of their chances. In the first half, Japan had just a single shot, and that came in the fourth minute of added time, worth 0.11 xG. After the break, Japan amassed 11 shots for 1.31 xG, and nine of those came after the hour mark.

In front of net, they were spectacular. Ritsu Doan's equalizer was tough to miss after Neuer's initial save had left him sprawled on the ground, but he still had to take it calmly under a heavy challenge. Takuma Asano's winner, however, was a sparkling piece of brilliance that saw him produce an outrageous first touch to bring down a long ball, then he beat Nico Schlotterbeck to the near post and roofed his shot past Neuer, who probably should do better with such a tight window. It's a thing of beauty, a moment that Germany just could not muster.

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Kyle Bonn Photo
Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn is a soccer content producer for The Sporting News.