time of rogues
This millimeter decision sealed Germany’s World Cup – the highlights in the video
Japan sensationally secured the group victory against Spain and throws Germany out of the tournament. A goalkeeper mistake and a goal that was discussed for minutes brought the turning point. The highlights in the video.
After the surprising defeat against Japan, the other tasks at the World Cup in Qatar will now be easier for Spain. “I have nothing to celebrate,” says coach Enrique despite the clever move.
JThe protagonist on the sidelines didn’t even notice a three-minute period that also brought Spain close to the abyss. When his team was 2-1 behind against Japan and Costa Rica took a 2-1 lead against Germany in the parallel game, the 2010 world champion was suddenly eliminated from the global title fights in Qatar. In the aftermath, however, Luis Enrique confirmed that he had not registered anything at all about the whole table confusion in Group E. “As? We were outside?” he asked. “I didn’t know, I was focused on the game. Otherwise I would have had a heart attack.”
Until now, the coach has not been known to have any particular acting talent, which he showcased in a recap of a memorable game. As a player, he was considered a fair sportsman, after his role reversal he also acted unsuspiciously as a coach. But because he was now responsible for a result that pushed Germany out of the tournament despite the 4-2 victory they had won and enabled Japan and their own team to advance to the round of 16, questions arose about how it came about.
Coach Luis Enrique during the match against Japan
Source: dpa
Judging by Enrique’s reactions and the appearance of his selection in the game, you couldn’t blame him and his team. For the Spaniards, however, the outcome of the game is less a curse than a blessing, because as second in the table they meet Morocco in the first knockout round (Tuesday, 4 p.m., in the WELT sports ticker) and not Croatia, the 2018 World Cup runners-up. And in a possible quarterfinals afterwards, the co-favorite to win the title would have avoided a threatening duel with the best team in the World Cup so far, Brazil. A rogue who thinks evil of it.
Memories wake up
After the disgrace in the German camp, they looked at least partially in the direction of the outcome in the parallel game, which was so difficult to accept (striker Kai Havertz: “We didn’t expect the result that Spain achieved”), Enrique had to face the inferiority of his team openly recognize. “I have nothing to celebrate, I’m not happy at all. If Japan needed two more goals, they would have put them in for us,” he said after the 2-1 defeat by the Asians. “Japan completely dismantled us in a few minutes. We qualified for the round of 16, that was the goal. But not in this way.”
What bothered the coach was a certain drowsiness from his team in the second half. After center forward Alvaro Morata made it 1-0, Japan laid the foundation for their own coup after the break with two quick goals from Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka. “Ten minutes of panic” was fabricated by his team in that phase on the field, said Enrique. “Football is sometimes an inexplicable sport. We gave everything.”
Indeed, the game didn’t feel like the ball-slinging between Germany and Austria at the 1982 World Cup that (hello, Spain!) went down in football history as the ‘Shame of Gijon’. At the time, both teams had practically stopped playing after Horst Hrubesch’s opening goal in the eleventh minute, because both rivals were able to advance to the next round with the result. The one who suffered was the selection of Algeria, who had to go home. The whole thing was garnished with Algerian fans who kept waving banknotes in their hands in the stands.
40 years after the obvious fraud, which resulted in the rules being changed so that the last group games were started at the same time, it is now up to Spain to quickly regain their old strength at the World Cup. Because at the start Enrique’s ensemble had won 7-0 against Costa Rica, then there was a 1-1 draw against Germany and finally the surprising defeat against Japan. In any case, the shape curve is pointing downwards. And the 52-year-old Enrique is now not only required as a trainer, but also as a psychologist. “I have to lift the spirits of the players,” he said on Friday night – and then look to the next challenge: “Morocco won a strong group. So we have to prepare well. We have to improve.”
