Our 4️⃣ points after an insane night at the 2022 World Cup | OneFootball

Belgium and Germany suffered shock exits. Spain hung on by the skin of their teeth while Japan and Morocco’s incredible journeys continue.

Here is what we made of a crazy, crazy night of World Cup action.

Fine margins end Germany’s journey

Germany are out of the World Cup.

For the second consecutive tournament, the four-time winners have exited at the group stage as one of the strongest footballing nations is left looking in the mirror wondering what might’ve been.

They did their bit tonight, beating Costa Rica by two goals but what they weren’t counting on was Japan overcoming Spain to book another week in the heat of Qatar while Hansi Flick’s side get their passports ready to fly home and embrace the cold.

Germany didn’t play badly for long periods in this tournament, they accumulated the highest xG out of all 32 teams in the group stage (10.00), while the likes of Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry impressed.

But eight manic minutes in the opening game against Japan mixed with Spain conceding two in three minutes against the same team tonight changed the whole complexion of their campaign, and now Flick and his men head out of a group they would’ve expected to have coasted through.

Football can be decided by the finest of margins. 11 minutes and a lick of paint has defined the 2022 World Cup for Germany.

Morocco’s history-makers ride on

Germany didn’t expect their journey to end so soon but as for Morocco, the majority of their fanbase expected it to be over already.

Walid Regragui’s team will play in the last-16 of a World Cup for the first time since 1986 after they finished top of their group following a 2-1 win over Canada.

A stubborn and disciplined performance against Belgium was succeeded by a counter-attacking blitz against the Canadians with Hakim Ziyech, Achraf Hakimi and Youssef En-Nesyri all showing their quality.

They became the first African team to top a World Cup group since Nigeria in 1998 and did so in a group containing Belgium and Croatia and having created the second lowest xG in the tournament, but have won their games by being clinical and ruthless in both boxes.

Don’t sleep on the Moroccans.

Who needs the ball?

Hajime Moriyasu’s ability to work wonders from the bench has sealed his country top spot in the group above Spain and Germany.

In an almost carbon copy of the opening game (2-1 win over Germany), Japan struggled for possession, were opened up on countless occasions and found themselves behind and looking in danger.

Moriyasu brought Takumi Asano and Ritsu Doan from the bench that day for them both to score the goals to turn that game on it’s head and he did it again today, bringing the latter on to score the equaliser against Luis Enrique’s team.

They may have only managed 17% possession tonight but what they did with the ball was tidy, efficient and in the end, deadly.

Just like they did against Germany, once they had the lead they shut the game down and never looked in threat of conceding. Two-goal bursts in a matter of eight minutes against Germany and three minutes tonight turned the group around and shocked the world.

The controversy will reign over whether the ball for the winning goal had gone out of play but this is Japan’s night.

Golden era over?

Belgium’s golden generation have lost their sparkle.

The Red Devils failed to qualify from the group stage for the first time since 1998 and were eliminated with a whimper in Qatar after a goalless draw against Croatia.

A team consisting of Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard has failed to leave their mark on a tournament and head coach Roberto Martínez called time on his six years in charge post-match, bringing an end to his era and most likely the era of some of the finest players to ever worn the Belgium shirt.

They were lucky to earn a 1-0 win over Canada on matchday one but their flaws were exposed in the 2-0 defeat to Morocco and the car was left in first gear all night tonight.

The semi-final finish in 2018 may have been the peak of this team. All good things must come to an end.