Forgotten Gems: Belgium v Japan (Russia 2018)

A look at a knockout match from a brilliant World Cup where it looked like a real shock could be on the cards.

We continue to look at some excellent games of football from the past that sometimes go under the radar or are overshadowed by other events. With the World Cup just over a year away, initial matches will be from the history of the tournament, but may at times expand into other areas.

Forgotten Gems: Belgium v Japan (Russia 2018)

Belgium’s second golden generation seemed to have the world at their feet. Blessed with incredible players and a strong philosophy, they had first reached the number one ranking in the world in 2015 and would go on to hold that position again for four years from 2018 through to 2021. What they weren’t able to do is turn their number of talents and lofty world ranking into a major tournament win.

The Red Devils had a history of doing well despite their small size as a nation. A team featuring wonderful talents like Jan Ceulemans and Enzo Scifo (the first golden generation) got to the semi-finals of the World Cup in 1986, eventually finishing 4th and also reached the knockout stages at the next two editions of the tournament, narrowly missing out to England and then Germany.

After failing to qualify for 12 years, they returned to the big stage in 2014 and went on to reach the quarter finals, led by former player Marc Wilmots as manager. An exceptional squad was emerging starring the dazzling attacking verve of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, ably backed up defensively by Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Thibault Courtois in goal.

Romelu Lukaku came through as a potent goalscorer and expectation was huge going into the Euro 2016 tournament in France. Italy quickly brought them back down to Earth, beating them 2-0 in the opener, but the Belgians rallied to win their next two group games before demolishing Hungary 4-0 in the round of 16. Hopes were quickly crushed in the quarters though as they were shockingly dumped out of the tournament by Wales.

Wilmots lost his job but the squad was still strong and Roberto Martinez was brought in as manager. Formation was switched to an attacking 3-4-2-1 and they romped through qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, winning nine out of ten games, scoring 34 goals and conceding only 2. Going into the tournament they were 19 games without defeat, an impressive record indeed.

Again hopes were high, and this time the Belgians, resplendent in their ‘80s throwback kits, flew out of the traps, scoring 8 goals in defeating Panama and Tunisia in their opening two games before beating England 1-0 as both teams put out second string sides due to both having already progressed. In winning the group, Belgium earned a date with Japan.

The Samurai Blue had reached their first World Cup in 1998 and had qualified for every edition of the tournament since then, growing in stature along the way. Initially seen as talented but somewhat lightweight, by 2018 more of their players had spent time in Europe’s top divisions and grit and strength had been added.

Japan had made it through to the knockout stages twice before, in 2002 when they were hosting and were beaten 1-0 by Türkiye and then again in 2010 where they held Paraguay to a 0-0 draw but were then agonisingly defeated on penalties. Throughout their World Cup adventures they had scored some upsets, having beaten Russia and Denmark and having drawn with Belgium, their opponents here.

Stars like Hidetoshi Nakata and Shinji Ono had come and gone but they still had a talented squad. Midfielder Shinji Kagawa had played for Manchester United and was in his second spell at Borussia Dortmund, winger Takeshi Inui had also played in Germany and was now plying his trade in Spain and defender Maya Yoshida was at Southampton. Experience was definitely there.

Coming into 2018, one major problem that the team faced was that manager Vahid Halilhodzic had been removed from his post just 71 days before the start of the tournament following a tempestuous 3 years in charge where he had often fallen foul of both fans and the media. He was replaced by former international Akira Nishino who didn’t have much time to get plans together.

Despite this, Japan caused a shock in their first game, beating Colombia 2-1. This was the first time that an Asian country had beaten one from South America in the history of the tournament. They went on to draw with Senegal but then rested players in their final group game against Poland where they lost 1-0. Luckily for them, Senegal, who were also on 4 points, were defeated too and Japan squeezed through on fair play points as the teams had identical records in every other sense. This was the first time this had happened. The Africans felt justifiably aggrieved but Japan moved on to their meeting with Belgium.

The Match

Despite being an evening kick off, the city of Rostov-on-Don that was hosting the match was still very warm. That didn’t deter nearly 41,500 spectators packing into the stadium and getting an atmosphere going. The teams spent the first 10 minutes or so trying to feel each other out and it was a bit of a battle in the midfield with neither wanting to give up too much space.

Japan probably edged those early exchanges though. Kagawa took a shot from range inside the first minute. It whistled just wide but showed Japanese intentions. It was also clear that they were going to try and use width to their advantage with wide men Haraguchi and Inui looking to get in behind the Belgian wingbacks. This would be a theme that would recur throughout the match.

Over time, Hazard and De Bruyne began to find some spaces to work their magic as the Belgians came into the game. They also started to find some joy from wide, particularly from Carrasco down the left. They switched play to try and stretch the Japanese defence but they held firm for now.

Lukaku sprang to life around the 20-minute mark, firstly turning and shooting in the box and then again from the edge of the area just after. Both were deflected for corners but he was getting into more dangerous spaces. Five minutes later he missed the best chance of the match to that point, getting his feet tangled in the box and missing out from three years after Mertens whipped in a delicious ball.

At this point Belgium were beginning to dominate, keeping Japanese goalkeeper Kawashima busy, and they’d had 17 touches in the opposition box to Japan’s 0 by the half hour mark. The Samurai Blue weren’t done though and began to switch the ball about themselves, trying to get back into the contest.

Both teams had chances, Hazard having a shot blocked by Yoshida and Courtois recovering after letting a shot from Osako slip under him but the first half ended goalless. It had been an engaging watch though with the Belgians showing flashes of their brilliance and the Japanese being incredibly organised, well-drilled and ready to counter whenever possible.

The second half started in the same manner with Hazard buzzing about trying to find dangerous spaces, but on 48 minutes Japan’s tactics finally paid off. Haraguchi made another run from deep, in behind the Belgian defence, and latched on to a through ball which Vertonghen uncharacteristically failed to cut out. The winger drove his shot across Courtois and into the bottom corner, scoring Japan’s first ever World Cup knockout goal.

Belgium had the chance to reply almost immediately but Hazard could only hit the post when the ball was cut back to him. They would rue this miss only four minutes later as Japan struck again. Kagawa found some space on the edge of the box and passed the ball back to Inui who had cut in from the left. The winger drove a glorious effort past a full-stretched Courtois from around 25 yards and the lead was doubled.

The Belgians were in shock. Would the curse strike again? Was this going to be another premature exit for their golden generation? No team had come back from a two goal deficit in the World Cup knockout stages since West Germany had beaten England in 1970. The only real saving grace was that they had time on their side.

Applying more pressure almost paid off after 62 minutes when Lukaku had a tremendous chance from another fantastic Meunier cross but the striker headed just wide from 5 yards when he should have scored. Three minutes later, Martinez decided that changes were needed and brought on Marouane Fellaini and Nacer Chadli. This was to prove something of a masterstroke.

Meunier and Lukaku combined again on 68 minutes but the striker’s shot was blocked by Yoshida. However, from the resulting corner, Japan struggled to clear the ball which eventually came to Jan Vertonghen who sent a looping header over Kawashima from the wide edge of the 18 yard box. The ball seemed to hand in the air for an age before it dropped into the corner. 2-1. Game on.

Japan hadn’t given up trying to score again themselves but Chadli’s freshness from the bench provided a good outlet for Belgium. One break set up a chance for De Bruyne which was blocked for a corner after 73 minutes. The initial corner came to nothing but the ball was recycled out to Hazard who whipped in a wicked cross for the other substitute, Fellaini, to header home. Momentum had shifted in the space of just 5 minutes.

Japan weren’t finished yet though and continued to trouble Belgium down the flanks. Inui had a great chance not long after the equaliser but Alderweireld slid across to block the shot. The Japanese also brought on the vastly experienced Keisuke Honda and after 83 minutes he found himself bearing down on goal only for Kompany to produce another fantastic block.

Both teams were really going for it and two minutes later, Kawashima produced an incredible double save, firstly to keep out a Chadli header and then another from Lukaku on the follow up. He was called to action again soon after to block a Vertonghen piledriver from distance. It was edge of the seat stuff as both teams tried to get a winning goal, leaving themselves slightly open to a counter at the same time. This would prove to be key.

In injury time, Honda took a chance shot from a free kick a huge distance from goal but still forced a fine stretched save from Courtois. Reinforcements were sent up for the corner but the keeper gathered easily and had the foresight to set De Bruyne away quickly. As the Japanese defenders struggled to get back, Meunier was played in down the right who, without missing a beat, then squared a tempting ball across the area. Lukaku could have made an attempt but decided to step over the ball to allow the onrushing Chadli to fire home with virtually the last kick of the game.

Japan had perhaps been punished for trying to win it themselves but Belgium had showed the steel they had been missing in the past. The curse would not strike this time. As the final whistle went the Belgians celebrated while the Japanese sunk to the ground, exhausted from

giving their all and emotionally devastated after throwing away a fine chance to make history.

The Aftermath

Belgium went on to beat Brazil in a wonderful display in the quarter finals, which sometimes overshadows the Japan comeback, before losing out to France in the semis in a game where they were arguably the better team. They did however go on to better the class of ‘86 by finishing third. Ultimately, the golden generation couldn’t live up to their potential though, being beaten by Italy in the quarter finals of the delayed Euro 2020 and then bowing out in the World Cup group stages in 2022 after infighting amongst a now aging squad. Time will tell if they will ever build another team good enough to compete at the final stages of tournaments.

Boosted by their strong performances, Japan went on to further success, beating Germany and Spain in the group stages in 2022 before bowing out at the Last 16 stage again, this time to Croatia on penalties. The fact that they are now perennially challenging the top European teams is surely a sign of good things to come in the future. They have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup so will be hoping to impress again.

The Teams

Belgium (3-4-2-1)

Courtois - Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Kompany - Meunier, De Bruyne, Witsel, Carrasco - Mertens, Hazard - Lukaku

Manager: R. Martinez

Japan (4-2-3-1)

Kawashima - Sakai, Yoshida, Shoji, Nagatomo - Hasebe, Shibasaki - Haraguchi, Kagawa, Inui - Osako

Manager: A. Nishino

The Goals

48’ Haraguchi - Assist: Shibasaki 0-1

52’ Inui - Assist: Kagawa 0-2

69’ Vertonghen 1-2

74’ Fellaini - Assist: Hazard 2-2

90+4 Chadli - Assist: Meunier 3-2