Germany entered the 2022 World Cup by losing to Japan (1-0) on Wednesday, November 23, at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha.
Before the start of the game, the German players made a gag gesture by putting a hand over their mouth for the official photo.
A way to respond to the threats of sanctions brandished by Fifa to prevent the wearing of the inclusive armband during the World Cup-2022.
Wir wollten mit unserer Kapitänsbinde ein Zeichen setzen für Werte, die wir in der Nationalmannschaft leben: Vielfalt und gegenseitiger Respekt.
Gemeinsam mit anderen Nationen laut sein.
Es geht dabei nicht um eine politische Botschaft: Menschenrechte sind nicht verhandelbar.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/v9ngfv0ShW
— DFB-Team (@DFB_Team) November 23, 2022
On the field, the two teams started the match in 4-2-3-1 with rhythm, without giving chances in the first minutes.
Then, on an acceleration from Ito on the right side which sends a precise cross into the German area, Japan believes to open the scoring … but Maeda is signaled offside (8th).
Despite this heat stroke, it is Germany who have their foot on the ball, with a game of possession and precise transmissions.
But this domination proves sterile during the first quarter of an hour of the match.
The solution can come from a set piece, but Rudiger sends his head next to the frame of the Japanese goalkeeper (17th).
So the Germans work differently and sometimes speed up the game, as when Kimmich appears at the entrance to the Japanese area to strike at the conclusion of a rapid movement, but Gonda deflects the ball (20th).
The Mannschaft do not let go of their grip on the ball (75% possession during this first half hour), multiplying the passes with a touch of the ball, until creating shifts which bring them clear chances like on this shot from Gundogan (27th) or this other shot blocked by a Japanese defender in his penalty area (28th).
Japan can no longer get out of its thirty meters and ends up cracking on an opening from Kimmich for Raum.
The Japanese goalkeeper misses his exit on the German player and causes a penalty, transformed by Gündogan (1-0, 33rd).
Germany leads logically on the scoreboard after an unchallenged domination during the start of the match.
The German team did not let go of their grip during the last minutes of the first half, like a new strike from Kimmich at the entrance to the Japanese area – ultimately without danger (42nd).
Musiala also tries a shot after a good series of dribbles, but the ball escapes the frame (45th).
Germany want to drive the point home and believe they can do it on a shot from Gnabry deflected into the Japanese goal by Havertz (45th + 3) … but the VAR signals an offside.
In the process, Maeda tries a header in the German area (45th + 6).
The two teams finally return to the locker room with this score of 1-0.
Japan overturn the game in ten minutes
Germany returns to the match with the same intentions as in the first period.
Müller shifts Gnabry, whose shot ends on the crossbar of the Japanese cage (47th).
Japan tries to react to this deflected shot from Kamada (49th) but Germany seems too strong.
In the process, Musiala enters the Japanese area and reviews the entire opposing defense, before hitting just above the cage (51st).
We may have missed one of the best goals at the start of the 2022 World Cup.
Japan does not resign itself to suffer when it is only one goal behind, but it lacks precision on this header which flees the German frame (58th).
Germany resumed their march forward: Musiala shifted Gündogan in the middle, but the shot from the latter ended on the post of the Japanese goalkeeper (60th).
Japan responds with a header from a corner but the German defense resists (66th).
Asano then presents himself against Neuer, but Rüdiger narrowly deflects for a corner (68th).
Despite the clear German domination in this match, the fate of the match is not sealed twenty minutes from the end of regulation time.
Then it's a new heat stroke in the Japanese area (71st): Gnabry believes to score the second German goal, but it was without counting on a double parade from Gonda.
In the aftermath, it was Japan who thought they could come back to score on a strike from Ito in the German box... Manuel Neuer, for his first save of the match, had a firm hand and maintained his team's lead ( 73rd).
The Mannschaft falters, and ends up cracking two minutes later: on a Japanese cross, Doan takes the flat foot at the penalty spot and shakes the German nets (1-1, 75th).
Ten minutes from the end, the match is restarted.
Germany, despite several chances, failed to score a second goal while Japan never resigned themselves to defeat.
Better: the Japanese can believe in victory after Minamino's victorious race which comes to lodge the leather under the crossbar of Neuer in a tight angle (1-2, 83rd).
Goretzka's off-target shot will do nothing (90th + 4): like four years ago against Mexico, Germany misses its entry into the World Cup and bows this time to Japanese realism.
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