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Cape Town — Belgium defeated Japan in a World Cup Round of 16 thriller as Nacer Chadli grabbed a dramatic winner in stoppage time to break Japanese hearts.
Japan shocked their much-fancied opponents early in the second-half when midfielder Genki Haraguchi gave them the lead in the 48th minute against the run of play.
Belgium looked visibly rattled despite Eden Hazard hitting the post almost immediately in an attempt to draw level.
Japan again drew gasps as they doubled the lead in the 52nd minute when Takashi Inui rifled home from the edge of the Belgium box to stunned fans at the Rostov Arena.
Japan were dominating a bewildered Belgium side and they were forced to make a double change as Nacir Chadli and Marouane Fellaini replaced Dries Mertens and Yannick Carrasco.
Jan Vertonghen gave Belgium hope in the 68th minute with an astonishing header from an acute angle as an aerial ball rebounded to him from a corner.
Fellaini astonishingly drew Belgium level to huge sighs of relief after heading home an excellent Eden Hazard cross to make the scores 2-2.
That’s how it ended as the two sides couldn’t be separated after 90 minutes. Nacer Chadli grabbed a dramatic winner deep into stoppage time in the 94th minute to break Japanese hearts.
In another match yesterday, Neymar scored a stylish opener and set up substitute Roberto Firmino for a late second as Brazil cruised into the quarter-finals of the World Cup with a 2-0 win over Mexico.
Bidding for a record-extending sixth title in Russia, Brazil weathered an early storm at Samara Arena before Neymar turned on the style to underline their status as favourites.
Brazil will now meet the winners of Monday’s later match between Belgium and Japan, but after seeing Argentina, Spain and Portugal eliminated in the last 16, Tite’s men will fancy their chances.
“We have to learn to suffer and we did suffer, it was a tough match,” said Neymar. “We knew they were a high-quality opponent.”
Mexico made a bright start in their attempt to beat Brazil in a World Cup match for the first time.
But after dominating the first 20 minutes of an entertaining opening period, Brazil came back into the match, bossing the final stages of the half.
The match had been billed as a duel between Neymar and Javier Hernandez, but the West Ham striker was more noticeable for his platinum-dyed blond hair, a choice also made by central defender Carlos Salcedo, before being replaced in the second half.
After the interval Mexico lost drive and focus and Neymar broke the deadlock on 51 minutes.
The Paris Saint-Germain star drew several defenders as he ran across the edge of the area with the ball at his feet. He laid it off for Willian and darted into the box, stretching to convert the Chelsea midfielder’s superb delivery.
Mexico were on the ropes, but Casemiro spurned a great chance to stretch Brazil’s lead, seeing his shot blocked by Ochoa. Osorio replaced the ineffective Hernandez with Raul Jimenez on the hour and Alisson dived to tip over Carlos Vela’s curling drive.
But Brazil had moved up a gear. Neymar was starting to showcase his talents but he was left writhing in pain after a tussle with second-half replacement Miguel Layun.
Replays appeared to show Layun caught Neymar on his ankle but he escaped sanction.
With 10 minutes remaining, Tite replaced Barcelona midfielder Paulinho with Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho.
Brazil secured victory when Neymar turned provider in the 88th minute, finding Firmino in the box and the Liverpool forward made no mistake. — Sport24-AFP.
Online Reporter