Belgium 3-2 Japan: Super-sub Nacer Chadli scores with last kick of the game to complete comeback and send Japan crashing out of the World Cup
- It took three minutes into the second half until the deadlock was broken as Genki Haraguchi finished smartly
- Japan then sensationally doubled their lead as Inui thundered a strike past Thibaut Courtois to stun Belgium
- Belgium got one back after Jan Vertonghen's high looping header beat the Japanese goalkeeper to make it 2-1
- Super-sub Marouane Fellaini scored a trademark header to make it all square with 15 minutes remaining
- Nacer Chadli then scored with the last kick of the game to complete the Belgium comeback in extra time
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Nacer Chadli’s dramatic 94th-minute winner — going from one end to the other in 9.94 seconds — completed an incredible Marouane Fellaini-inspired comeback to break Japanese hearts.
Belgium, the huge favourites, had looked down and out at 2-0 down thanks to goals from Genki Haraguchi and Takashi Inui at the start of the second half. But the arrival of second-half substitute Fellaini turned the game around.
Jan Vertonghen started the fightback with a looping header for 2-1 before Fellaini made it 2-2 with 16 minutes to go.
Nacer Chadli scored with the last kick of the game to send Belgium into the quarter-finals after being two goals down
Belgium quickly countered from a Japan corner kick which allowed Kevin De Bruyne to pick the right pass in the 93rd minute
Romelu Lukaku cleverly let the ball run to an unmarked Chadli who had the job of putting the ball into the net
The Belgium squad spark mass scenes of jubilation after they come back from a two-goal deficit to beat Japan
Super-substitute Marouane Fellaini wheels away in celebration after helping Belgium get back into the round of 16 clash
The towering midfielder scored with a trademark header minutes after Belgium got themselves their first goal of the game
Japan's defenders helplessly watch on after Fellaini jumps highest to score Belgium's second goal and the equaliser
Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen celebrates with Nacer Chadli after his goal gets his side back into the last 16 tie
Jan Vertonghen gave Belgium a lifeline with a high looping header that completely caught Japan's goalkeeper out
The goalkeeper could only the watch as the header bounces into the net to make it 2-1 on Monday evening in Rostov
Then, with only seconds remaining on the clock. Chadli arrived at the end of a classy breakaway move to clinch a quarter-final against Brazil.
What will hurt Japan the most is that the winner came so soon after Thibaut Courtois had saved a Keisuke Honda free-kick which almost won the game for his team.
But from the corner that followed, the Chelsea goalkeeper rolled the ball out to Kevin De Bruyne ,who ran half the length of the field in a classic counter-attack which ended with Chadli gleefully firing home from a Thomas Meunier cross after Romelu Lukaku had dummied.
‘Well that’s what happens in the World Cup!’ said Belgium boss Roberto Martinez. ‘You get pushed in games and you have to congratulate Japan. They were so solid, frustrated us and good on the counter.
‘You have to see a reaction of the subs coming on and to win the game 3-2 in 90 minutes tells you everything about this group of players.
‘Today was about getting through, we did that and it’s a day to be proud of these players. Keep believing.
‘Sometimes in a World Cup you want to be perfect but in the knockout stage it’s about winning. The boys showed a winning mentality today.’
Belgium were back to full strength, making 10 changes from the ‘B’ team they put out to beat England in the last match of the group stage.
It included a first start at Russia 2018 for Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany and his presence was a major boost for Martinez’s side.
Takashi Inui (centre) celebrates doubling Japan's lead after his long-range effort beats Thibaut Courtois in the Belgium net
Japan's No 14 (L) thunders his shot from way outside the box while Axel Witsel does his best to try and close down the effort
The Japan attacker's effort left Belgium in a heap just a couple of minutes after they conceded the first goal
Genki Haraguchi paused and then struck the ball into the bottom far corner as Vertonghen and Courtois are helpless
Belgium goalkeeper Courtois looks on in disbelief after Japan take a shock but deserved lead at the Rostov Arena
Haraguchi celebrates with the Japan bench after scoring the first goal just three minutes after the restart on Monday
Round of 16
Quarter-
Finals
Semi-Finals
FRA
FT
4 - 3
ARG
URU
FT
2 - 1
POR
BRZ
FT
2 - 0
MEX
BEL
FT
3 - 2
JPN
SPA
AET
(3)1 - 1(4)
RUS
CRO
AET
(3)1 - 1(2)
DEN
SWE
3 July 22:00
-
SWI
COL
4 July 02:00
-
ENG
URU
6 July 22:00
-
FRA
BRZ
7 July 02:00
-
BEL
RUS
8 July 02:00
-
CRO
QF7
7 July 22:00
-
QF8
SF1
11 July 02:00
-
SF2
SF3
12 July 02:00
-
SF4
Final
FN1
15 July 23:00
-
FN2
Third Place
PO1
14 July 22:00
-
PO2
But Japan, despite being underdogs, held their highly rated opponents to 0-0 at half-time, defending well and utilising a high-energy press.
Lukaku almost opened the scoring from a 30th-minute Dries Mertens cross, only for the ball to get stuck under his foot eight yards from goal.Kompany then missed an even better chance.
But Japan almost stunned their rivals just before the break. Yuto Nagatomo suddenly surged forward and a surprised Courtois almost fumbled his weak, blocked shot into the net — pouncing on the ball just before it looked as if it would trickle over the line.
Japan got plenty of men behind the ball to make threats like Hazard slightly redundant for Belgium in the first half
Japan defended resolutely in the first 45 minutes as Mertens looks to get a shot away for Belgium in Rostov
Centre back Kompany does incredibly well to keep the ball in play as he leaps through the air to keep things alive
Kompany, who made is return from an injury, flies through the air to put the ball back across an empty goal against Japan
Lukaku was a constant threat for Belgium in the first half as Maya Yoshida has to stretch out a leg to intercept the ball
Lukaku arguably has the first real chance for Belgium in the first half but the ball got stuck in between his feet
Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima pounces on the lose ball after Lukaku couldn't get a shot away in front of goal
The Red Devils striker shows his strength as he keeps two defenders at bay inside the area as he looks to break the deadlock
That should have been a wake-up call, but Belgium were 2-0 down within seven minutes of the restart.
The first came from a superb breakaway which ended with Haraguchi put through on goal. He coolly stopped for a second, took a breath and calmly beat Courtois.
Eden Hazard thumped a shot against the woodwork as Belgium almost equalised immediately. But then Inui struck home the second, a beautifully curled shot from outside the box beating Courtois.
This was now a huge challenge for Belgium, even with their firepower. But they were up to it.
Lukaku had already missed with a header when Verton-ghen looped home after keeper Eiji Kawashima had failed to clear his lines.
Then, with the Rostov Arena rocking, it was 2-2 as Fellaini rose to power home a header from Hazard’s cross.
Kawashima made a superb double save, first from Chadli and then Lukaku with minutes remaining, but he could do nothing about the last-gasp winner.
Lukaku is smothered by the Japanese defenders as he looks to bring the ball down and get a shot away
Martinez (L) shouts instructions to his Belgium team while Japan manager Nishino (R) assesses the action from afar
Carrasco claimed for an early-penalty after he felt he was fouled in the box but nothing was given after he stayed on his feet
Hiroki Sakai (L) shrugs Vertonghen off the ball as the two defenders battle it out in the early stages of the first half
Former Manchester United playmaker Kagawa (R) keeps the ball away from Belgium's and Manchester City's De Bruyne (L)
Vertonghen (L), De Bruyne (R) and Axel Witsel go to close down Kagawa's (C) shot from outside the box early on
Belgium boss Martinez stands for the national anthem ahead of his side's World Cup round of 16 clash with Japan
