• FT

    Belgium

    3

    Russia

    2

    Match
  • FT

    Japan

    2

    Tunisia

    0

    Match
  • FT

    Poland

    3

    USA

    1

    Match
  • FT

    South Korea

    1

    Portugal

    0

    Match

WORLD CUP

Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan

Referee: Gilles Veissiere

* Local time based on your geographic location.

Japan

  • Hiroaki Morishima 48' •
  • Hidetoshi Nakata 75' •

2 - 0

FT

  • 91'

    And that's it! Japan win 2-0 and go through as group winners. They face Turkey in the last 16. Tunisia, with just one point, are out. Troussier's fine half-time substitutions proved decisive and Japan win only their second ever World Cup game

  • 91'

    Benachour cracks one from 25 yards - into the side-netting but a good attempt

  • 90'

    Just one minute has been added on as Tunisia have 60 seconds of their World Cup left

  • 89'

    Morishima goes for the spectacular with a 50-yard shot. Boumnijel retreats to claim

  • 89'

    Japan on the break Ogaosawara but he can't find Suzuki

  • 88'

    And Russia are back in it in the other game - Sychev makes it 3-2 and if Romantsev's side can equalise, they will go through

  • 88'

    Great skill by Benachour before Myojin brings him down - the young midfielder has been one of Tunisia's best players this tournament

  • 86'

    Baya to take a Tunisian free kick. He curls it in and it's not far from the top corner, with Narazaki a bit stranded. Goal kick

  • 85'

    Ono goes for the volley with his right foot. He connected well and the ball just goes wide of the far post

  • 84'

    Japan take off Nakata and bring on Ogasawara

  • 84'

    Morishima finds Suzuki alone up front. He turns and shoots with his left foot - but it's just wide

  • 83'

    Benachour come forward again and looks for Zitouni but Miyamoto cuts it out

  • 82'

    ... and Zitouni almost scores here. Benachour finds him and the sub turns and fires his shot against the bar

  • 82'

    And Belgium lead 3-1 now. It's their talismanic skipper Marc Wilmots who has surely sealed the win

  • 82'

    Nakata will take, but it's straight at Boumnijel

  • 81'

    Badra brings down Suzuki quite cynically - free kick and a yellow card

  • 80'

    And Wesley Sonck of Racing Genk scores Belgium's second against Russia - as things stand, Belgium will go through

  • 79'

    ... and his first contribution is an overhead kick which went wide after Jaidi had headed back Benachour's free kick

  • 79'

    Zitouni replaces Bouzaiene

  • 78'

    Another Tunisia free kick, but they'll make a change first

  • 78'

    Benachour curls in a cross which Narazaki comes out to catch

  • 77'

    Good skill by Baya, nutmegging Matsuda. The defender brings him down

  • 76'

    And surely that has killed off any hopes Tunisia had of qualification

  • 76'

    GOAL! Boumnijel got a hand to it but he could not stop Hidetoshi Nakata doubling Japan's lead

  • 75'

    Ichikawa is in room on the right again and he crosses for Nakata to head...

  • 74'

    More Japanese possesion and Troussier's side are lookign comfortable now

  • 73'

    The pace of the game has dropped a bit to the more gentle stroll of the start of the first half

  • 72'

    Tunisia press a little more but Japan are defending doggedly

  • 70'

    Another fine interception Miyamoto - he's had another good game today

  • 69'

    Japan clear the second corner, but this has been one of Tunisia's better spells

  • 68'

    The corner is cleared but Mhedhebi goes down the left flank again to put in another cross which Miyamoto puts behind

  • 67'

    Good move from the Tunisians and Benachour finds Jaziri in the box. He goes for the shot and Miyamoto deflecte it behind

  • 66'

    ... but Nakata puts it way over the bar

  • 66'

    Ono is brought down now - Ghodhbane was the offender there

  • 65'

    ... and the corner comes back to Myojin who fires wide from 30 yards

  • 64'

    Another foul gives Hidetoshi Nakata another free kick - he withces it to his namesakeKoji at the back post - he picks out Ono who heads it down and the diving Boumnijel palms it past the post

  • 63'

    Nakata crosses as Japan go for another - they work the ball out to Koji Nakata on the left and Bouazizi does very well at the back post to stop his cross reaching Morishima

  • 62'

    Tunisia are struggling with the Japanese pace and movement now - they're getting little time on the ball as the Japanese press

  • 61'

    Tunisia change - Clayton departs and on comes Mhedhebi

  • 60'

    and Tunisia give it away to Morishima who finds the other substitute Ichikawa with room to shoot - but that is a poor effort, well wide of goal

  • 59'

    Jaziri breaks and puts in a low cross which the unchallenged Narazaki claims

  • 59'

    Japn are very confidently passing the ball aroudn now they have the lead. A poor cross from Ichikawa ends a fine move

  • 58'

    Clayton puts in a cross as Tunisia go forward but one of his team-mates is adjudged offside

  • 57'

    Nakata releases Suzuki down the right win. He lays it back to Ichikawa, but his cross is blocked

  • 56'

    Trabelsi makes a burst down the right and three Japanese players crowd him out

  • 55'

    Bouazizi fouls Suzuki again and it's another Japan free kick

  • 54'

    Japan so close to 2-0 and Troussier's half-time changes have worked superbly

  • 53'

    Ichikawa acclerates down the right and whips in a low cross which Morishima makes a diving header to reach. It goes across the stationary Boumnijel... and roll onto the post

  • 52'

    Goal for Russia - it's Vladimir Beschatnykh. They are level and as things stand, Belgium will go out

  • 51'

    Ono knocks it to Nakata but his deflected shot is easy for Boumnijel

  • 50'

    They have a free kick 30 yards out which Nakta and Ono are behind

  • 50'

    Nakata is fouled by Bouazizi as Japan push for a second

  • 49'

    Japan lead and surely they will go through. They are currently on course to top the group

  • 48'

    GOAL! He fires it across Boumnijel and into the fire corner

  • 48'

    Suzuki can't reach Nakata's pass but the touch takes it to Morishima...

  • 47'

    Suzuki chaesea a long ball but it goes out for a goal kick

  • 46'

    Japan kick off and Badra is immediately strugglign after a Suzuki challenge

  • 46'

    Tunisia need to win by two goals to go through, but will they even try? On comes Zoubaier Baya, off goes Melki

  • 46'

    Double change for Japan - on come Morishima and Ickikawa for Inamoto and Yanagisawa. Can the subs provide the breakthrough?

  • 45'

    And that's half time. Japan 0 Tunisia 0 in quite an uneventful half. The visitors had a couple of late chances and Japan haven't hit top form but they are on course to go through

  • 45'

    Trabelsi bursts into the box and goes down after Toda's challenge. Not a penalty, but Toda didn't make contact with the ball

  • 45'

    ... and a better one. Badra rises highest to head at goal - and it could come to Jaidi at the far post.. but it evades him and goes wide

  • 45'

    Benachour whips it in, and it's deflected behind. A second corner...

  • 44'

    Trabelsi takes it near the corner flag but the ndustrious Suzuki comes back to intercept. But Tunisia win the ball back and Matsuda's tackle on Jaziri results in a corner

  • 43'

    Tunisia pass it around at the back before Melki goes forward to win a throw

  • 42'

    Koji Nakata tugs back Benachour - and the Japanese defender is fortunate to avoid a caution

  • 41'

    Trabelsi brings down the lively Suzuki and the referee warns the right wing back

  • 41'

    Bouzaiene puts in a low cross but it's too near Narazaki.

  • 40'

    Shinji Ono will take again but Tunisia head away

  • 39'

    Nakata plays a great long pass for find Suzuki - and Jaidi comes across to cover and concedes a corner

  • 38'

    Melki plays a one-two with Benachour and the ball falls to Jaziri who shoots on the turn - but it's well wide

  • 37'

    Ono will take and it's punched away from under his own bar by Boumnijel

  • 36'

    Nakata looks for Yanagisawa. Jaidi concedes a corner

  • 35'

    Melki's deep cross is misjudged by Narazaki but the Japanese keeper was saved by the absence of Tunisians at the back post

  • 34'

    Ono plays a fine one-two with Yanagisawa but his run is ended by a fine tackle from Badra

  • 34'

    Yangisawa turns to fire a low left-footed shot from 20 yards. Boumnijel parries it and gathers at the second attempt

  • 33'

    Japan press again but Tunisia are defending deep and in numbers

  • 32'

    Jaziri battles with Ono and the Tunisian striker concedes the throw

  • 31'

    Inamoto's long pass is shepherded out for a goal kick by Bouzaiene

  • 30'

    Inamoto curled in a cros looking for Yanagisawa, but it was a little to close to Boumnijel who came out quickly to catch it

  • 29'

    Almost a shooting chance for Inamoto there but Ghodhbane got back at him quickly

  • 28'

    Inamoto rises but Badra heads Nakata's corner away

  • 28'

    Nakata takes but it hits the wall and Japan have another corner

  • 27'

    Nakata switches play well to Suzuki and Bouzaiene is penalised for climbing all over him

  • 26'

    Japan have had the majority of the possession so far but they've yet to create a real chance

  • 25'

    It's a corner, which Bouzaiene takes and Narazaki comes a long way to claim that

  • 24'

    Tunisia look to release Jaziri and the masked Miyamoto makes a fine challenge

  • 23'

    ... and they win a third, which is too long for everyone

  • 23'

    Koji Nakata whips it across and it is another japan corner as Bouazaine heads behind

  • 22'

    Ono's cross is deflected behind by Badra - corner for Japan

  • 21'

    Bouzaiene whips in a cross which Toda heads away and Japan break with Yanagisawa. he is tugged back by Bouazizi rather needlessly and the Tunisian becomes the first player booked

  • 20'

    Japan have had the better of the first 20 minutes without reaching the high standard they performed at against Russia and Belgium

  • 19'

    Nakata looks for Myojin down the right touchline but his pass is overhit

  • 18'

    Was that a shot or a pass? Badra belts it wide from 50 yards

  • 17'

    End-to-end stuff with both sides attacking in the last few minutes even if there haven't been many chances

  • 16'

    Trabelsi and Benachour combine well but Jaziri can't reach the through ball

  • 15'

    But this time Ono hits the wall - disappointing delivery from the Feyenoord man

  • 14'

    But Japan have another free kick in a dangerous situation as Bouzaiene fouls Myojin

  • 13'

    ... it is Hide Nakata and it deflects off the wall and then one of his team-mates as Tunisia scramble it away

  • 13'

    Ono or Nakata could take..

  • 12'

    Suzuki is upended clumsily by Clayton and again that could have been a booking

  • 12'

    ... but Myojin's cross is too deep and Boumnijel claims it

  • 11'

    Inamoto is crowded out by two Tunisians and the Africams try to counter attack but Japan soon have the ball back

  • 10'

    Yanagisawa brings down Jaziri - he's perhaps lucky to escape a booking as Jaziri could be hurt

  • 9'

    And Belgium lead in the other group. Johan Walem has scored and as things stand, Belgium top the group with Japan second

  • 8'

    Inamoto makes a little burst and Japan are looking more lively

  • 7'

    Neat passing from Japan and the ball comes to Suzuki about 30 yards out. He goes for goal and it sails some way over

  • 6'

    Jaziri is offside - he's leading the line again for Tunisia and will hope for more support from midfield runners

  • 5'

    Ono takes but the referee penalises Japan for a push in the box

  • 4'

    Suzuki has his heels clipped and it's a Japanese free kick about 40 yards out

  • 3'

    Free kick for Ono's foul on Melki and Tunisia have the ball for a short spell

  • 2'

    Japanese possession - and the host nation again look very comfortable on the ball

  • 1'

    Toda chips it forwadd for Japan and it falls to Yanagisawa who has a shot but it hits Trabelsi

  • 1'

    Tunisia kick off and win an early throw

  •  

    Tunisia bring in Clayton for Gabsi while Japan, unsrurprisingly, are unchanged

  •  

    So Japan are on the brink of their first ever appearance in the last 16 of the World Cup. But can Tunisia spring a surprise - a two-goal win would put them through.

COMPLETE TEAM CLOSE X
Goal Shot Video
  •  

  • Shots (on goal)

  • tackles

  • Fouls

  • possession

  • Japan

  • 14(7)

  • -

  • 16

  • 0%

    0%

  • Tunisia

  • 8(1)

  • -

  • 20

Japan

Line-up
POS No Name

G

 12 Seigo Narazaki

D

 3 Naoki Matsuda

D

 16 Koji Nakata

D

 17 Tsuneyasu Miyamoto

M

 5 Junichi Inamoto
M		 8 Hiroaki Morishima

M

 7 Hidetoshi Nakata
M		 19 Mitsuo Ogasawara

M

 18 Shinji Ono

M

 20 Tomokazu Myojin

M

 21 Kazuyuki Toda

F

 11 Takayuki Suzuki

F

 13 Atsushi Yanagisawa
M		 22 Daisuke Ichikawa
 
Substitutes
POS No Name
M 8 Hiroaki Morishima
M 19 Mitsuo Ogasawara
M 22 Daisuke Ichikawa

Tunisia

Line-up
POS No Name

G

 1 Ali Boumnjiel

D

 2 Khaled Badra

D

 6 Hatem Trabelsi

D

 12 Raouf Bouzaiene
F		 20 Ali Zitouni

D

 15 Radhi Jaidi

M

 10 Kais Ghodhbane

M

 13 Riadh Bouazizi

M

 18 Selim Ben Achour

M

 23 Clayton
F		 7 Imed Mhadhebi

F

 5 Zied Jaziri

F

 21 Mourad Melki
M		 3 Zoubaier Baya
 
Substitutes
POS No Name
M 3 Zoubaier Baya
F 7 Imed Mhadhebi
F 20 Ali Zitouni

Match Stats

  • Japan
  • Tunisia
14(7) Shots (on goal) 8(1)
16 Fouls 20
9 Corner kicks 4
1 Offsides 2
0% Time of Possession 0%
0 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
0 Saves 4