Belgium avoided a scare from Japanese side after going two goals down early in the second half, before the European side showed why they are the highest goal scoring side in the competition, as the did not only level the score, the sealed the winner in the late minute of the game to book a spot to the next round.
Former Spurs and West Brom player Chadli was the hero of the night, as it was his goal late in the 94′ that secured the win for the Belgium side, after goalkeeper Courtois released a ball that started a counter-attack from the Red Devils after an awful Japanese corner. The win means Belgium will now meet Brazil in the quarter-finals on Friday 6th July 2018.
Japanese Haraguchi put the Asian side ahead in the 48′ minutes after a poor defence from the Belgium side, putting Belgium on a back foot so early in the second half. The red devils almost got one back almost immediately when Eden Hazard’s strike hit the woodwork.
The Belgium continued their lack of organization at the back, as Japanese’s Insui strikes from a distance in the 58′ to beat goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in a surprised fashion.
Romelu Lukaku missed a free header in front of goal in the 62′ which would have given his team alive line into the game. But as the game continued and Belgium players pushed forward, Japan made their own defensive blunder for Vertonghen to head home a cross to pull one back for Belgium.
Coach Matinez sensing the pressure, made a substitution which saw Fellaini come in, and making an instant impact as he headed home a cross from captain Eden Hazard to level the score at 2-2.
The game was going to extra time, so we thought, until the last minute of the game when Japanese wasted a chance to drag the game to 120-minutes as a quick release of the ball from Courtois saw a beautiful fast counter from the Belgium for Chadli to drag home the winner for Belgium and Martinez to qualify for the quarter-finals.