Japan were awarded a goal which effectively put Germany out of the tournament. Photo / Sky
Japan were awarded a goal which effectively put Germany out of the tournament. Photo / Sky
Germany has been eliminated from the tournament in the most dramatic 45 minutes of the World Cup.
Seven goals in the second halves of the Japan-Spain and Germany-Costa Rica games had the Group E standings spinning like a turnstile but at the end Japan and Spain survived.
And some believe the Germans have reason to complain about why they’re not moving on.
Japan had barely fired a shot against Spain when Ritsu Doan came to the rescue in the 48th minute of their clash.
The impressive strike, Japan’s first shot on target in the match, levelled the score at 1-1.
Others pointed out that some of the camera angles were deceiving and that VAR made the right call.
According to Fifa’s laws of the game, the ball is only out of play if it is “wholly passed over the goal line or touchline on the ground or in the air”.
Crap angle but look along the line and it would be even more overhanging. So in. pic.twitter.com/duVBIRgGHV
Trailing 1-0 against Germany, the central Americans scored twice to momentarily put Germany bottom of the group and move ahead of Spain into second spot.
“Germany’s world is falling apart around them,” the commentator said.
But the potential embarrassment of finishing in last place spurred the Germans into action — and saved Spain.
Germany scored three times to take a 4-2 lead and drop Costa Rica from second to third in the group.
The Germans were left needing another Spain goal, which would have dropped Japan from six points to four and back into third, but it didn’t come.
It meant Japan’s controversial VAR decision effectively put the Germans out of the World Cup.
