Belgium made a remarkable come back in the game and beat Japan 3-2 in the Round of 16 match to make it to the quarterfinals against Brazil. Roberto Martinez’s Belgium was trailing by 2 goals when he brought on Fellaini and Nacer Chadli in the 65th minute, Fellaini scored the equalizer before Chadli netted a 94th minute winner.
Japan looked on their way to a famous win after Genki Haraguchi scored the first goal in the 48th minute. Only 4 minutes later Takashi Inui’s 25-yard strike made it 2-0 and the Asian side looked all set to enter their first quarterfinals. But, the Japanese were so close yet so far.
Belgium’s fortunes turned when Vertonghen scored a looping header at the 69th minute, to get them back in the game and from then on there was no looking back for Belgium. Fellaini then headed in Eden Hazard’s cross to make the score 2-2. Thomas Meunier’s pass helped Chadli to finish off a flowing move and help the Red Devils avoid the latest victims of a World Cup shocks.
Belgium are the first team to fight back from two goals down to win a World Cup knockout game since West Germany against England in 1970.
If Japan could have made it to the quarter finals it would have been the only 3rd Asian nation to do so after North Korea in 1966 and South Korea in 2002.
That second half. Incredible.
It is #BEL who will face #BRA in the quarter-finals! #BELJPN pic.twitter.com/CCnvXROiKu
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 2, 2018
Belgium will now face Brazil in the quarterfinals on Friday.
CONFIRMED:
Friday 6th July:#FRAURU | 17:00 | Nizhny Novgorod#BRABEL | 21:00 | Kazan#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/KX2oGczpB4
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 2, 2018
(PHOTO INPUT: FACEBOOK/BELGIAN RED DEVILS)