FIFA World Cup: Japan overcome Germany 2-1 with late goals

Ilkay Gundogan scored from the penalty spot after half an hour and hit the post in the 60th minute.

Ritsu Doan equalised 15 minutes from time after Manuel Neuer had parried Takumi Minamino's first attempt.

Takuma Asano provided the turning point eight minutes later as the Germans suffered their latest defeat in Qatar.

It was another defeat for four-time world champions Germany, who had travelled to Qatar to seek revenge for their elimination in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup.

The second group match will be against Spain on Sunday, while Hajime Moriyasu's Japan will face Costa Rica.

Germany are one of the teams whose captain was expected to wear the anti-discrimination armband in OneLove rainbow colours at the tournament. However, this plan was dropped after threats of sporting sanctions by FIFA.

The players clarified their feelings about the situation shortly before kickoff by posing for a team photo with their hands in front of their mouths.

The German Football Association (DFB) tweeted a picture of the gesture, saying, "Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a vote. We stand by our position."

There was an early shock for Hansi Flick's men at the start of the game when they lost the ball in the seventh minute; Japan surged forward, and Celtic's Daizen Maeda slid the ball past Neuer, but the flag was raised for offside.

The first chance of note on the other side came ten minutes later when Antonio Ruediger sent a header just wide of the goal. In the following period, Japanese goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda had to save Joshua Kimmich's and Gundogan's shots.

After half an hour, Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton awarded Germany a penalty after Gonda fouled David Raum, which the Manchester City midfielder converted confidently.

Further attempts from Kimmich and Jamal Musiala went over the bar, and Chelsea's Kai Havertz had a close-range finish disallowed for offside before Maeda put a header just over Neuer's goal in the final stages of the first half.

In the early stages of the second half, Daichi Kamada fired into the stands, and Musiala danced past several players in the Japanese penalty area, but his shot was too high.

Gundogan nearly made it 2-0 when he picked up a pass from Musiala and missed the post with a low shot.

Gonda had his hands full in the 70th minute when he had to fend off first Jonas Hofmann, and then Serge Gnabry's attempted shot.

Shortly after, Neuer blocked a deflected shot from Junyo Ito, while Hiroki Sakai missed the target on the follow-up.

Moments later, Japan equalised in a similar situation: Neuer parried former Liverpool man Minamino's shot and Doan; also a substitute, took his chance and fired the ball into the net.

Shortly afterwards, the Japanese fans went into raptures again when Asano played a long ball forward, outpaced Nico Schlotterbeck and fired in.

Leon Goretzka shot just wide of the goal in stoppage time, so Germany's efforts to stave off defeat were in vain.