Five games that defined the 2022 World Cup

Privacy Settings

Japan 2-1 Spain

Japan pulled off another upset to beat Spain in the group stage, a result that included controversy and had implications for one of football’s most famous nations.

The Japanese had already beaten Germany in their tournament opener, but defeat to Costa Rica left the Samurai Blue in need of a result against a Spain side who had impressed to date. Alvaro Morata headed home an opener for the dominant Spaniards in the first half, but Japan dug deep to stage a fightback.

Having come from behind to beat the Germans, Japan repeated the feat with Ritsu Doan continuing his super-sub role with a fierce strike from the edge of the area.

Then came the controversy. Ao Tanaka completed the turnaround after turning in Kaoru Mitoma’s cross, though the ball had initially appeared to have gone out of play on the byline before Mitoma’s cutback.

A lengthy VAR check followed before the goal was given, with the full curvature of the ball not deemed to be over the line. Japan celebrated and held on, topping a group that contained both the 2014 and 2010 world champions.

It was Germany – 4-2 victors over Costa Rica in the other game – who crashed out after finishing behind Spain on goal difference, with the four-time winners suffering a second straight group stage elimination.

That 50-second spell where Costa Rica and Japan were going through to the knockout round and Germany and Spain were going out was one of the most magical moments of this World Cup. What a time to be alive.

— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) December 20, 2022

Morocco 1-0 Portugal

Morocco were the underdog tale of the tournament and as the full-time whistle blew against Portugal, the Atlas Lions celebrated unprecedented history.

No African team had ever reached a World Cup semi-final, until now. Walid Regragui’s team had reached the final four and had done so in impressive fashion, taking the scalps of Belgium, Spain and Portugal in the process.

Regragui had only taken charge of Morocco two months earlier and had been an unpopular appointment, but he departed Qatar as the leader of a team who captivated their audience. Morocco conceded just one goal – an own goal – until their semi-final exit to France, with their resolute rearguard providing the foundation for their history-making win.

Youssef En-Nesyri’s first-half winner saw Morocco beat Portugal in the last eight, with the Sevilla striker heading home after an extraordinary leap to score a famous winner. Morocco and their fans celebrated as the nation moved into the uncharted territory of a World Cup’s latter stages, while Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo departed in tears as his dreams of winning football’s biggest prize came to an end.

Morocco entered the World Cup FIFA’s 22nd-ranked team.

Their route to the semifinals:

▪️ Beat No. 2-ranked Belgium
▪️ Beat No. 7-ranked Spain
▪️ Beat No. 9-ranked Portugal
▪️ Conceded one goal in five games…an own-goal against Canada

😤 pic.twitter.com/UeNVpFXqEL

— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 11, 2022

Netherlands 2-2 Argentina

A game that truly had it all, there’s something about World Cup meetings between the Netherlands and Argentina that just create epic drama.

There was narrative and needle as the two teams went head-to-head, with the conclusion to the contest proving gripping viewing. Argentina looked set to progress to the last four after taking a two-goal lead, but their two-goal cushion melted away under the pressure of an aerial bombardment.

It was fascinating to watch Louis van Gaal abandon the Dutch principles and lump in long, loading the mixer with orange-shirted giants and piling the pressure on the South Americans. Virgil van Dijk, Luuk De Jong and Wout Weghorst all took turns in being the focal point of the attack, with the latter transforming the game off the bench.