The lack of concentration and defensive errors put the team against the ropes and showed their weaknesses with the eighths in sight
Spain showed its weaknesses at the worst possible moment in the World Cup in Qatar, in the match that was supposed to mark its future in this World Cup in Qatar. The one in Japan was a script for a horror film, with the protagonists enjoying life in gardens – it couldn’t get any better for La Roja with Morata’s goal after twelve minutes – until suddenly light turns to darkness and some collective happiness had turned into panic. It is completely inexplicable what happened to Luis Enrique’s troops at the avant-garde Khalifa International Stadium. Perhaps his men saw everything so on schedule that lack of concentration and defensive errors condemned them to suffering, to an extreme torment that not only left them bereft of ideas, but was also torn at the seams, as if the tension was bursting the suit of choice until it frayed. .
The selection remained true to its ideology in the first part. Apart from a few mistakes, the Japanese almost never had superiority and limited themselves to closed and orderly play. The scenario couldn’t have been more favorable, especially when Morata opened the scoring to bring peace of mind to the national team. It was necessary to apply control football so that Busquets, Pedri and Gavi would take the reins to drive at the pace that La Roja was interested in. Those who had to risk were the opponents. The passage of minutes was in favor of the Spaniards, comfortable in possession and with transitions to taste. There was a ‘made in Spain’ atmosphere on the field and in the stands that did not predict the disaster at the start of the second half. The selection played with fire and was on the verge of burning if Germany had not come back to Costa Rica.
When Luis Enrique assured the media in his appearance on Wednesday that we had to be very careful because the four countries in the group reached the final day with a chance of qualifying, there was a minimal buzz in the room, as if the fact that the Ticos were not an option had against the Germans. And above all, because if the group of the Asturian coach had shown anything so far, it was that it was very difficult to beat them. Even when things don’t go as they should, opponents have a hard time getting past him because he owns the ball and it’s hard to create chances for him. Last night, all that evidence went down the drain. Three Minutes to Forget was the work of the Japanese comeback, which limited itself to adding a little more intensity.
The worst part wasn’t so much the defeat itself, this is a World Cup and anyone can have a bad day. What was really disheartening is that once the Asians got ahead, there was never a feeling that La Roja could play back. The coach from Gijón, who had opted for a clean nine and gave the alternative to Balde and Nico Williams in an attempt to give more bite on the wings, reconstituted his lines. He removed Morata and deployed Asensio to try and turn the ball back into a weapon and not a useless tool. The truth is that the changes fell through and the footballers found themselves lost in the desert of Qatar, looking for an oasis that turned out to be a mirage. As Costa Rica took the lead (1-2) over Germany, the ghosts of Brazil and Russia turned up in Doha, captivated. Saved by a miracle
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
