And Japan have their historic victory as the final whistle blows! They thoroughly deserve it after a great team display in a very enjoyable game - it finishes Japan 1-0 Russia

Miyamoto, not for the first time, is in the right place and then Todo launches himself into the follow-up challenge to block

Nakayama is booked for a foul on Onopko - two minutes of stoppage time to be played as Russia launch the free-kick into the box

Seconds left, and the noise inside the stadium is massive as Japan launch another clearance out of their penalty area

Khokhlov runs goalwards, but yet another attempt from Russia is desperately poor, sailing high over the crossbar

...where Semshov delights the Japan fans by conceding a free-kick. Yanagisawa breaks forward, but overruns the ball at the vital moment and it's a Russia goal-kick

No frills from Solomatin - he just hammers the ball upfield...

...and it has brought them so close to a moment of history now

Solomatin finds room down the right to cross... Japan find yet another good clearance. Their defending has been top-notch

Fukunishi is on for the superb Inamoto as Japan make their final substitution. Only five minutes remaining

Sychev's the man most willing to have a go at goal for Russia, and he shows that again with a clean strike which Narazaki holds onto

Goal-kick to Russia after a Japan free-kick goes wrong... back come the Japanese, though, until a foul by substitute Nakayama surrenders possession

...but keeper Narazaki gets there well to punch clear and Nikiforov's follow-up shot is wayward

Karpin again - this time from a free-kick wide on the right. Russia have loads of players forward...

Russia break, and Inamoto is there as Karpin looks to threaten again

Japan press well inside the Russian half, winning themselves a throw-in and keeping possession from it... Nakayama slips as he looks to get on the end of the cross

Semshov zaps in a low cross, and Japan again show their defensive mettle. It's going to be a good last ten minutes...

It's cleared to the edge of the area, where Titov lashes a volley hopelessly over

Titov crosses after his team-mates spark a crisper move - and Miyamoto produces a fine block. Corner...

Russia building again, but there's a laboured look to some of their play - they need to up the pace if they are to salvage something from this match

But wait a moment - Khokhlov gets into the area and fires in a shot. Narazaki holds on well

Japan closing in on their first ever win in a World Cup finals... a little under 15 minutes dividing them from glory

That's Ono's last contribution to the game - he is taken off to be replaced by Hattori

Miyamoto produces a fine interception inside his own area... Karpin, in the meantime, needs treatment after a strong challenge by Ono

...too high, though, for the waiting Ono and Russia come forward with Beschastnykh. His low cross is superbly blocked by the industrious Inamoto

Japan make a change: Suzuki comes off and Nakayama's into the fray. They win a corner, which is floated in...

Nakata hits it from long range - it's a brilliant strike and crashes back off the bar with Nigmatullin totally beaten

Ono on the charge again - he finds Nakata, who has space to run towards the area

Karpin's penalised for barging, and Ono comes forward to find Suzuki inside the area... he's unable to control the pass

Sychev hits another shot from long range - this one's lofted towards the top corner but Narazaki is in the right place

Japan, on the other hand, are getting stronger and attacking with increasing verve

Russia need to lift themselves: their passing is going astray and they don't look likely to mount much of a threat

Suzuki is caught offside after neat and purposeful build-up from Japan

Semshov tries to latch onto a pass down the left, but it has too much pace for him and goes out of play - much to the approval of Japan's fans

Titov, midway insie the Japan half. More good pressing forces a mistake, and the ball is out of play for a Japan throw

Nakata takes the chance to come forward and cross from the right: it's headed away

Japan's defence working very hard, closing down their opponents brilliantly

Solomatin comes forward and Ono intercepts: Karpin follows up and tries to cross, but that one's well blocked

Another good chance, and another miss - but Japan are enjoying an excellent spell just at the moment

Nakata plays a great ball into the heart of the area and Yaganisawa takes it down.. he shoots and it's over the bar

Again Japan fail to make the most of a promising dead-ball situation, and that will frustrate coach Troussier

This is a wonderful opportunity for Japan to threaten - but Nakata's shot flies over

And he could regret that - Inamoto is fouled on the very edge of the area by Nikiforov

...he rounds Narazaki but, from a not particularly tough angle, hits the side netting. That could and should have bee 1-1 - a bad miss

Immediately, the substitute has a golden chance to level after Khokhlov's astute header on...

Another change for Russia: Smertin off and Beschastnykh on

Free-kick to Russia on halfway: it's played forward to Titov and his bobbling strike is wide of the mark

Miyamoto leads a break, but Ono is crowded out... Japan could have made more of that, with Ono having space just outside the area

Sychev tries his luck from an awful long way out - Narazaki gathers comfortably

What can Russia do in response? They try a long ball forward, but it's relatively aimless and comes to nothing

Russia make another change - Khokolov comes on, and Ismailov is the player replaced

The crowd, as you would expect, in full cry... Inamoto's strike provoking a delirious reaction

Fine goal - and Japan deserve it for their performance throughout this game

...it's flicked through to Inamoto inside the area, and he keeps his cool to rifle an excellent finish into the roof of the net. It's 1-0 Japan!

Suzuki is brought down by Kovtun's no-nonsense challenge, and the free-kick comes in...

Izmailov, though, produces a poor pass when it matters and Japan can clear their lines

Karpin controls well - too well for Ono, who hacks at his ankles and gives away the free-kick

The cross comes in from the right - Nakata the deliverer - and Nigmatullin claims well as Yanagisawa challenges

A good start from Russia, and here they come again: but that's well cleared and Japan break speedily

...it's scrambled away for a corner, which Narazaki - who's having a good game - claims confidently

From it, a foul on halfway gives Russia the free-kick: Karpin gets to the byline and pulls the ball back...

Japan get the second period under way and look for an early ball forward - it's overhit and presents Russia with a goal-kick

Russia make an interval change: they're bringing on Dmitry Sychev for Pimenov

And that's half-time: it's been a fast, entertaining game full of attacking intent, but it remains 0-0

The offside flag goes up... Semshov, not for the first time, is the guilty party

Free-kick to Russia midway inside Japan's half, and this will probably be the last action before the break

Narazaki does well again, advancing from his line to claim a through ball. There'll be one added minute at the end of this half

...and Russia, over the last few minutes, have shown signs that they can work their way back into the match

Japan have had the majority of possession, but Troussier will surely feel they should have more chances to show for that

Karpin tries to make something happen with a long ball forward: it's too long, however, and Narazaki claims

There have been a fair few bookings in this first half... perhaps not surprising given the frenetic pace and high number of challenges

Perhaps buoyed by that, they string together some neat passing... Nakata is booked for bringing the move to an end with a foul

The flag-kick comes to nothing, but the lead up to it represented Russia's best move for some time

Semshov tries to switch play, and Solomatin pops up with a searing low cross: Toda is the hero for Japan, clearing for a corner

Japan's free-kicks have been generally poor so far, and from this one the whistle blows for pushing on Russia's Solomatin

Good ball down the left for Japan: Yanagisawa is fouled by Solomatin, who picks up a booking for that lunge

Nigmatullin elects to punch clear, and does it well... in it comes again, and Inamoto's header drifts across goal

They can try again - Suzuki's fouled by Kovtun, and Nakata will cross this ball in

The ball's lashed in - and lashed over. A promising position goes begging

Suzuki, though, snaps in and comes racing forward again... he's fouled and it's a free-kick within shooting range...

Nakata and Ono link stylishly, but the final ball in is a disappointment, being easily cut out

Japan usher the ball back to the keeper, and when it's launched forward again Suzuki is fouled...

Keeper Narazaki saves bravely from the advancing Pimenov, and is awarded a free-kick for his pains

Japan giving them no time on the ball, but some of the passing has still been sloppy... Semshov crosses and then Titov plays it forward...

It's cleared, and Karpin and Titov link... their efforts break down and Russia are finding it hard to keep the ball at the moment

Nakata is brought down midway inside the Russia half - roars of approval from the crowd as the referee gives the free-kick

Yanagisawa takes over, but Onopko's challenge eases the threat on Russia

And Troussier's disbelieving reaction on the bench said a lot... but here comes Suzuki

The best chance of the game - he should really have opened the scoring

Japan still playing at a cracking pace - Nigmatullin parries from a low cross but Nakata, with time and space, can only fire over the top

Suzuki tries his luck... it's blocked and Izmailov completes the clearance. Inamoto charges forward again, but overruns the ball

Another free-kick to Russia, inside their own half. This time, the offside flag stops them in their tracks

Kovtun crashes to the floor under challenge from Yanagisawa... it's hit long and flicked on by Titov, but there's a foul on Miyamoto

For all the buzziness to this match, there have been precious few real chances carved out by either side so far

Nakata latches on to a loose defensive header and has a speculative shot from the edge of the area... that one's over the top

Toda is penalised for a foul on Izmailov, but Onopko's pass forward is a poor one and causes no problems

Yanagisawa is thwarted after a good run - the ball deflects back off the Japan player and it's a goal-kick to Russia

This has to be one of the fastest games of the tournament so far - barely room to pause for breath, but no goals as yet

Yanagisawa now - it's end to end stuff. He roars down the left but once more the challenge is a good one

Free-kick against Nakata, who looks bemused by the decision... Semshov makes a great break, but it's wasted as Pimenov slides his pass out of play

Russia break well after cutting out a through ball - Toda's the man in the right place to challenge for Japan

It's Nikiforov who hits it - great power, no real direction and it's into the Japan fans behind the goal

Miyamoto is booked for a challenge some 30 yards out and central... free-kick

He's crowded out but gets the ball back and curls in a great shot - it's a fraction wide of the far post

Novtun plays the ball downfield with minimal subtelty... much more subtelty from Izmailov, who runs at the heart of the Japan defence...

Suzuki tries to get on the end of the free-kick, but he's penalised

Matsuda is felled by Pimenov, whose challenge earns him a yellow card

It's a good start to the game, full of pace and attacking intent

At the other end, Suzuki concedes a free-kick and Japan cover well as Russia try to break forward

Karpin, complete with Ray Parlour-esque hairstyle, jinks into the area... Smertin shoots, but it's well over the top

Inamoto produces a fine challenge on Titov and a great pass to Suzuki - Semshov is there with a great tackle to win the ball back for his side

Another long ball forward from Japan, and more good cover means the same result as last time - the threat peters out

Miyamoto now, playing it long towards Suzuki... Russia clear without too many difficulties

Pimenov is brought down and Titov looks for a route into the area: the run is snuffed out by more good, committed Japanese defending

...Ono floats it into the area, but it's just too long for the waiting Inamoto

What can they make of this? Plenty of encouragement from the crowd...

Smertin brings down Nakata in full flight - free-kick for Troussier's side

It's a brisk start from both sides - Ono starts a move for Japan, and Solomatin heads clear

Suzuki on the ball for Japan now - he attempts a low cross from the left but Russia stand firm to get that clear

...from it, Inamoto surges forward and belts in a powerful long-rage shot. It whizzes wide, but he struck that well

Titov slides in late as he tries to win the ball - that's a free-kick to Japan deep inside their own half...

Russia play it forward again - too long, and Myojin is there. Inamoto tries to get his first touch, but is crowded out

The ball is headed back to Nigmatullin after a long ball forward, but Japan soon win it back

Izmailov runs at the Japan defence but is crowded out, and then the ball goes out of play for a throw to the Japanese

They're immediately buzzing into the challenges, and Russia thump the ball back downfield. Nobody's there to try and get on the end of it, however

Russia get this one under way - a great atmosphere here tonight. Can Philippe Troussier's Japan team live up to it?