Victory in World Cup opener sparks street celebrations and banishes painful failed qualification for the United States in 1994 in Doha
Japan’s surprise victory over Germany in Qatar on Wednesday sparked nightly celebrations and calls to mark Samurai Blue’s memorable feat in their 2022 World Cup opener with a holiday.
The clock was ticking as Takuma Asano threw the Japanese winner into the roof of the net at Doha’s Khalifa International Stadium, a result that seemed highly unlikely after a poor first half in Japan, betting on his seventh consecutive World Cup.
For enthusiasts of a certain age, the 2-1 victory helped banish painful memories of the decisive match in Doha some 3 decades ago. That’s where Japan came within minutes of qualifying for their first World Cup, only to be denied qualification for the World Cup. 1994 United States through a tie in injury time for opponent, Iraq.
Wednesday’s victory sparked impromptu celebrations at the famous Shibuya crossing and called on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to take Saudi Arabia’s lead in triggering a public holiday.
Yui Sasaki, a workplace employee in Tokyo, among a bunch of enthusiasts who watched the attack at a public stall in the capital. Holding back tears, Sasaki told the Asahi Shimbun: “Honestly, before the attack, I think it would be a miracle for Japan to win. “
Kishida drew ridicule on social media after a tweet appeared on his official account when the attack took position in which he spoke about his stopover at the imperial palace the day before. “I expressed my gratitude for a bountiful harvest and prayed for the prosperity of the imperial circle of relatives and the peace of the nation,” he wrote. Social media users’ response: Why don’t you watch football?
But Kishida, whose approval ratings are at an all-time high over his party’s ties to the questionable Unification Church, controlled to capture the national mood Thursday morning. “I watched the game on TV. . . It was a magnificent victory,” he said. reporters. ” I hope they can continue and qualify for the knockout stages. “
Among the Japanese public figures who congratulated the team on Twitter, tennis player Kei Nishikori, who just showed a row of 8 Hinomaru flags.
The victory made headlines in major newspapers and tabloids, with some noting that the agony of 29 years ago had been replaced in the national consciousness through the “Doha miracle. “
Under headlines marking Japan’s “memorable” and “impressive” victory over the four-time World Cup winners, the media praised coach Hajime Moriyasu, a member whose dreams were shattered in Doha 29 years earlier, whose five substitutions in half the time proved to be a stroke of genius.
Social media praised Asano, who plays for VfL Bochum in the German Bundesliga, and Japan’s goalscorer Ritsu Doan, who also plays for his football club in Germany with SC Freiburg.
Some attributed Japan’s victory to Taiyo, a river otter at a Tokyo aquarium that predicted the final results the day before the attack after hitting a miniature soccer ball in a blue bucket marked with the Japanese flag, crushing a red one with the German flag and a yellow one that qualified for a “tie. “according to the Kyodo news agency.
Yujiro Nakao, a Tokyo businessman and longtime Samurai Blue fan, said the team showed courage in refusing to give up after a “desperate” first half. He watched the house game with his wife.
“Moriyasu has been heavily criticized in the past, but he has shown that he can be a strategist. I hope, I hope, that we can beat Costa Rica and draw against Spain. I will inspire you.
Misae Minami, an instructor in Osaka, said she felt Japan would make the experts wrong. “Most people expected Germany to win, but I am hopeful because the young Japanese players have improved considerably, and many of them play for German clubs. You may see that our players are getting stronger mentally and physically because they refused to give up even after Germany scored first.
Japan now dreams of a place in the bottom 16 for the fourth time and qualifying for the quarterfinals for the first time. While the match against Germany began Wednesday at 10 p. m. In weather, jet lag will be smoother for Japanese enthusiasts when their team takes on Costa Rica on Sunday night.
“I can’t wait for the next game,” Minami said. “Let’s win this one too!”