Japan blew the Group of Death wide open with a 2-1 win at the Khalifa Stadium.
Here Germany led and cruised for an hour before their profligate front-line and porcelain defence contrived to allow Japan a way back into the game, who were thrust to a stunning victory by substitutes Ritsu Doan and then Takuma Asano.
It is a horrifying result for Germany in what was their first-ever competitive meeting with Japan, meaning they are already behind the eight-ball with a group game against Spain to come. The prospect of a second-straight group stage exit for a side who had hitherto Russia never failed to progress is suddenly a real and startling possibility.
But where Lowe erred in shoving Joshua Kimmich out to right wing-back to facilitate that system, Flick kept Kimmich in midfield and reverted to a back four out of possession. The benefits of keeping Kimmich midfield were plain to see for Germany’s opening goal, as he floated a sumptuous pass to Raum as he broke forward into the penalty area.
The rhythm and pace of Germany’s inter-play was too much for Japan at times, with the lithe Jamal Musiala hurtling challenges with balletic grace. At one point early in the second half he wriggled through a barely perceptible gap in the penalty area and shimmied by another couple of challenges before robbing us all of a classic goal by shooting over the bar. Moments later he loped away from another challenge and ushered the ball to Gundogan, whose shot hit the foot of the post.
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