The surprising victory over the four-time champion sparked wild celebrations from the substantial number of Japanese fans present at the Khalifa International Stadium.
When the Japan midfielder, who plays for the German team Freiburg, heard that his team would be an easy opponent for Germany at the World Cup, he had to grit his teeth.
The 24-year-old Doan said on Thursday, “I listened to their talks with a fake smile on my face and in my heart,” after leading a remarkable comeback and arguably the biggest victory in Japan’s World Cup history the night before.
Doan made his debut in the 71st minute and only needed four minutes to equalize Ilkay Gündogan’s first-half penalty and watch as fellow substitute Takuma Asano scored the winning goal in the 83rd to give Japan a 2-1 victory.
The unexpected victory over the four-time champion sparked wild celebrations from a large number of Japanese fans at the Khalifa International Stadium, as well as cheers from those watching the goals at home on big screens.
Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan, stated, “I think that the whole of Japan was very excited.”It was a great victory that I could watch on television.
“Team power, individual power, and the direction of the coach” were praised by Kishida.
Daizen Maeda, a forward for Japan, described the experience as “the happiest moment I have ever had in my football career.”
After the game, Japan’s coach Hajime Moriyasu called it “a historic moment, a historic victory.”
However, the former midfielder was more cautious the following day as he tried to refocus the team for Sunday’s match against Costa Rica.
and be prepared for the next game.
The opening match of Costa Rica’s World Cup campaign was a 7-0 defeat to Spain.
If Spain beats Germany favorably on Sunday, Japan could theoretically even secure a spot in the second round.
Moriyasu previously stated that Japan’s goal for the seventh World Cup is to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
As he anticipates the challenges that lie ahead, even Doan has toned down his excitement.
Doan stated, “I celebrated with all my teammates yesterday” despite the fact that “we haven’t changed history yet.” “I think it was a historic match.”However, I have completely changed my mind as of today and am preparing for the Costa Rica game, so I will take care not to be arrogant.
After the match, Yuto Nagatomo, a Japanese defender, received a flood of phone calls and emails from family and friends.
Nagatomo stated, “So I really feel that this was a historic victory.”If this contributes to reviving football and increasing its popularity, I will be delighted. I want to concentrate on the next game because we have only won one game.
Nagatomo described the victory over Germany as “one of the best experiences in my football career,” regardless of what transpires throughout the remainder of the tournament.