Belgium vs. Japan score: World Cup highlights from Round of 16

Gabe Fernandez

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Belgium vs. Japan score: World Cup highlights from Round of 16 image

Belgium will move on to the quarterfinals of the World Cup thanks to an emphatic last-minute victory, and the largest comeback of the tournament.

Japan appeared as though they were ready to shock the world after scoring two goals within four minutes from Haraguchi and Innui.

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Twenty minutes after the second goal was scored, Belgium began to look lethargic and scared that their World Cup dreams were over. Manager Roberto Martinez then sent in two large subs — Marouane Fellaini and Nacer Chadli — to start launching balls forward. Within four minutes, Belgium had tied the game up after Fellaini soared over Japan's defense for the equalizer.

As the game approached injury time, it seemed as though the nations needed at least another 30 minutes to decide the match. Thibaut Courtois had other ideas and started a counter-attack from a bad corner that resulted in a last-minute game-winning goal to send Belgium to the next round and face Brazil.

Sporting News followed along the game with highlights and scores.

Belgium vs. Japan live: Scores and highlights

90' + 4' — GOAL BELGIUM!!! (3-2)  THE RED DEVILS START THE COUNTER-ATTACK FROM THE FAILED CORNER THAT ENDS WITH A CHADLI GAME-WINNER!

90' + 3' —  Courtois forced to make a big save AGAIN after an insane Honda free kick dipped dangerously towards the goal. 

90' —  Four minutes of injury time.

90' —  Courtois was forced to make a tough save against Japan that created another corner opportunity for the Japanese. Nothing came of it.

86' —  Kawashima to the rescue! Two tough saves were required from the Japanese keeper to keep the game level!

84' —  Honda with a great opportunity for the super-sub goal but Vincent Kompany shows his experiences and closed down the angle to force a corner that yielded nothing.

81' —  SUBSTITUTION: Shibasaki OUT, Yamaguchi IN; Haraguchi OUT, Honda IN (Japan)

80' —  Belgium have worked the ball back to Japan's side and threatened with two corners in a row. The second corner went out for a Japanese goal kick.

75' — GOAL BELGIUM! (2-2)  Marouane Fellaini scores off the corner as he towers over all of Japan's defense for the equalizer!

73' —  Belgium counter's from the failed Japanese corner. De Bruyne fired a shot on target where it gets deflected behind the goal for a corner.

72' —  Japan drives a counter into Belgian's side of the field. The cross takes a bounce behind the net and leads into a corner.

70' –  GOAL BELGIUM! (2-1)  Vertonghen takes advantage of the poor Japanese clearance and what appeared to be a headed cross, turned into a lobbed shot on goal.

69' —  Lukaku's shot is blocked out of bounds because of a great slide tackle in the lane from a Japanese defender. Corner kick.

66' —  SUBSTITUTION: Mertens OUT, Fellaini IN; Carrasco OUT, Chadli IN (BELGIUM)

65' —  Another opportunite for Japan as they continue to exploit the wide areas. A cross through the middle was caught by Courtouis.

62' —  SO CLOSE FOR BELGIUM! Lukaku gets his head on the ball from a great cross but sends it wide of the net!

60' —  Japan gets a break and a shot on goal that is deflected for a corner kick. The ball gets cleared away by Lukaku.

57' —  Carrasco goes for the half-volley for Belgium, but it sails above the net for a goal kick.

52' — GOAL JAPAN!! (2-0)  THIS IS NOT A TYPO JAPAN HAS SCORED AGAINST THE RED DEVILS DEFENSE ONCE AGAIN. INUI STRIKES IT FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX TO DOUBLE THE LEAD.

48' —  GOAL JAPAN! (1-0)  Haraguchi gets the beautiful ball from his teammate and speeds right past Vertonghen to slot in the opening goal of the game!

46' —  Second half begins.

HALFTIME: Belgium 0, Japan 0

45'+1' —  Mertens fires from outside of the box and it gets collected nicely by Kawashima.

45' —  Belgium will need to adjust and defend the right side of the field better. Japan has had plenty of opportunites from that side and has almost scored on a few occasions. One minute of injury time

44' —  Otako had a chance to tip in the ball and score but it was too soft and Courtouis picked it up....after fumbling it and almost allowing a goal.

40' —  Yellow Card: Shibasaki for a foul on Eden Hazard, who was on the break. Hazard is still down.

38' —  Lukaku continues to be a pest for Japan's defense, forcing another corner for the Red Devils.

37' —  Hazard on the counter had a great opportunity but the shot was blocked by Japanese defenders. The ball came back to Kevin de Bruyne, who passed it to Witsel. The ball sailed over the bar from his shot.

35' —  Innui had a great opportunity for Japan thanks to a great feed. He passed it to Kagawa, who couldn't get his shot off either.

34' —  Mertens gets the chance at the edge of the box, but couldn't get the shot off.

31' —  Opportunity for Japan! The team drives into Belgium's box and Osako got an opportunity to head it in goal, but it was saved by Courtois.

27' —  Another chance for Lukaku following a shot attempt by Hazard. Japan's defense holding firm with deflections on both attempts!

25' —  OH SO CLOSE FOR BELGIUM. Lukaku gets the chance in front of goal but he can't turn in time to get on the scoreboard and the ball gets sent to the keeper.

23' —  The possession game has been flipped on its head and it's now Belgium in total control. A goal just feels close.

21' —  Lukaku fires from outside of the box only to get his shot deflected behind goal for another corner. Belgium tried to go short with the corner and could not convert.

17' —  Lukaku gets the ball in the box and attempts to turn and shoot, but is stopped by Japan's defense. Ball is deflected out of bounds for another corner. Kompany's shot from the ensuing corner goes wide. Goal kick, Japan.

16' —  Hazard received a great feed in the box and brought down the pass with ease. A few passes later and it lands at the feed of Witsel, whose shot gets deflected behind goal for a corner.

10' —  BIG chance for Japan! A cross freezes Belgian defenders and the keeper but the intended target wasn't able to get a head on it. Score remains 0-0.

4' —  Hazard fouled on the break and gets a free kick on Belgium's third of the pitch.

1' —  Japan getting the chances off early with a shot just wide of the net by Kagawa!

Lineups: 

Belgium: Courtois, Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen, Meunier, De Bruyne, Witsel, Carrasco, Mertens, Lukaku, Eden Hazard. 

Subs: Mignolet, Vermaelen, Fellaini, Thorgan Hazard, Tielemans, Januzaj, Dembele, Boyata, Batshuayi, Chadli, Dendoncker, Casteels. 
 

Japan: Kawashima, Hiroki Sakai, Yoshida, Shoji, Nagatomo, Hasebe, Shibasaki, Haraguchi, Kagawa, Inui, Osako. 

Subs: Higashiguchi, Ueda, Honda, Endo, Okazaki, Usami, Muto, Yamaguchi, Oshima, Makino, Gotoku Sakai, Nakamura. 
 

Gabe Fernandez