MX23RW : Thursday, November 21 10:35:58| >> :120:59790:59790:
[monks data]
Japan national football team
World Cup | Group Stage
Dec 1, 2022 at 7pm UK
 
Spain national football team

Japan
2 - 1
Spain

Doan (48'), Tanaka (51')
Itakura (39'), Taniguchi (44'), Yoshida (45')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Morata (11')

Luis Enrique "not happy at all" with Spain performance

Luis Enrique
© Reuters
Spain boss Luis Enrique criticises his players for their performance in Thursday's 2-1 defeat to Japan at the World Cup.

Spain boss Luis Enrique has said that he was "not happy at all" with his side's performance in Thursday's surprise 2-1 defeat to Japan at the 2022 World Cup.

La Roja dominated the first 45 minutes of the Group E contest, boasting more than 80% of the possession, and they took the lead in the 11th minute of the match through Alvaro Morata.

Japan turned the game around in the early stages of the second half, though, levelling through Ritsu Doan before Ao Tanaka scored a second for Hajime Moriyasu's team.

Spain still managed to advance to the round of 16 as Group E runners-up, with the European nation set to take on Morocco on Tuesday.

Spain forward Alvaro Morata celebrates scoring against Japan at the World Cup on December 1, 2022© Reuters

Enrique said that his side "have nothing to celebrate" despite securing their position in the last-16 stage of the competition.

"In football you deserve it or not and we didn't deserve it," Enrique told reporters. "I'm not happy at all. I would have liked to be on top and win but in five minutes Japan scored two. We were dismantled.

"We didn't have any danger in the first half and then at half-time I told them to be cautious because they had nothing to lose. We collapsed and they could have scored two more goals. I'm not happy at all.

"I never celebrate defeats so we have nothing to celebrate. We have qualified but I have nothing to celebrate."

Japan's Ao Tanaka celebrates scoring against Spain at the World Cup on December 1, 2022© Reuters

Enrique also revealed that he was not aware that his side were down in third spot in the group for a brief period in the second half when Costa Rica took a 2-1 lead against Germany.

"We were knocked out for three minutes?" said Enrique. "I was not paying attention to the other match, when did that happen? I didn't know this. I'm not happy because we were defeated by Japan. If I had found out [Spain were going out] I would have had a heart attack."

Meanwhile, the head coach also commented on Japan's winning goal, which was controversial, as the ball appeared to be out before it was delivered into the penalty box.

"From my angle the ball was clearly half out," he said. "More than that I could not say because of the speed. I was concerned about scoring but there was always a possibility that it was going to be out.

"If it was not out and it was not a goal I would not have been disappointed but in the end it was a goal so that was great."

Spain finished on just four points in Group E, having beaten Costa Rica 7-0 and drawn 1-1 with Germany ahead of their contest with Japan on Thursday night.

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Spain's Gavi celebrates scoring their fifth goal with Dani Olmo and Alvaro Morata on November 23, 2022
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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