Japan scores shocking upset victory over Germany at men's World Cup

Another World Cup day, another World Cup shock.

Substitutes Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano scored late goals Wednesday to give Japan a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Germany at the World Cup.

Both Doan and Asano play for German clubs.

Ilkay Gundogan had given four-time champion Germany the lead with a first-half penalty. But Doan, who plays for Freiburg, pounced on a rebound to equalize in the 76th minute after Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer blocked a shot from Takumi Minamino.

Then Asano, who plays for Bochum, sprinted clear of Nico Schlotterbeck and beat Neuer from a narrow angle in the 83rd minute of the first competitive meeting between the two nations.

The match was played a day after Argentina's 2-1 upset loss to Saudi Arabia.

It was only the third time Germany had lost its tournament-opening game after defeats against Algeria in 1982 and Mexico in 2018. In the other World Cup openers for Germany, the team had won 13 matches and drawn four.

Germany outplayed Japan for much of the match with 24 attempts on goal compared to Japan's 11. Despite giving away the penalty, Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda made a string of saves.

Germany next faces Spain on Sunday, while Japan takes on Costa Rica.

Germany was playing at the World Cup for the first time since its shocking group-stage exit as defending champion in 2018, while Japan is appearing in its seventh straight World Cup and is looking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.

Germany's players covered their mouths for their team photo before their opening World Cup match in an apparent rebuke of FIFA's clampdown on plans to wear armbands to protest discrimination in host nation Qatar.

The team lined up in the traditional formation before Wednesday's game against