Sport
Japan’s win over Spain eliminates Germany from the World Cup
Germany isn’t advancing to the knockout rounds for a second consecutive World Cup after Japan hung on for a 2-1 win over Spain.
Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 on Thursday afternoon but Japan’s win over the Spaniards at the same time meant Japan won Group E with its victories over Germany and Spain while Spain advanced to the knockout rounds in second via goal difference.
Spain built itself a massive goal differential cushion in its first game of the World Cup in a 7-0 win over Costa Rica. That win meant Germany basically had to replicate that effort with a Japan win to have any tiebreaker edge over Spain.
Germany won the 2014 World Cup in a thrilling final over Argentina. But the Germans finished last in their group in 2018 behind Sweden, Mexico and South Korea to become the third consecutive defending World Cup champion to fail to make it out of the group stage. France broke that streak in 2022 by winning Group D.
How Japan beat Spain
The Spaniards took an early 1-0 lead thanks to an Alvaro Morata goal but Japan scored two goals in the first seven minutes of the second half.
The goals came less than four minutes apart. Ritsu Doan scored to tie the game in the 48th minute and then Ao Tanaka scored a controversial goal to give Japan the lead.
The game-winner was initially not given as it appeared the ball went out of play near the Spain goal. But a video review determined that the ball stayed in bounds. In soccer, the entire circumference of the ball has to cross the entirety of the out of bounds line for the ball to be out of play.
There might have been some daylight between the bottom of the ball and the line too.
The win means that Japan will take on Croatia in the Round of 16 after Croatia tied Belgium on Thursday morning. It’s the second consecutive knockout round appearance for the Japanese and they have made the Round of 16 in four of their last six World Cup appearances.
Is Spain’s World Cup path now easier?
Spain probably isn’t too unhappy about finishing second in the group. Yeah, winning the group is nice, but instead of facing a Croatia squad that made the 2018 World Cup final, Spain now plays Morocco to start the knockout rounds.
The loss also means that Spain likely avoids a potential matchup with Brazil in the quarterfinals and is out of the same side of the bracket as both Brazil and Argentina. Portugal would be Spain’s likely quarterfinal opponent instead and Spain is now on England’s side of the bracket.
Costa Rica gave us a few moments of chaos
There was a brief stretch in the second half of both games that had both Spain and Germany provisionally out of the World Cup.
The only way Japan and Costa Rica both advanced out of Group E was if they both won. And Costa Rica took a 2-1 lead over Germany in the 70th minute after Manuel Neuer couldn’t corral the ball after a free kick.
That lead came as Japan was ahead of Spain. But it didn’t last very long. Kai Havertz scored in the 73rd minute to tie the game for Germany and then gave the Germans the lead in the 85th minute.
Had Spain tied Japan in the second half, Germany would have gone through to the knockout rounds thanks to having a better goal difference than the Japanese. Japan beat Germany 2-1 and lost 1-0 to Costa Rica while Germany tied Spain 1-1.
What’s next for Germany?
The German National Team entered this World Cup without many of the stalwarts that powered them to the 2014 win and were a part of the team that crashed out of the 2018 World Cup. While Neuer and Thomas Muller were the notable holdovers, players like Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala and others got a shot at this World Cup.
And while Germany has a wealth of attacking options, it’s even more clear that it’s in need of a stronger defense. The Germans gave up five goals across three games. The back four was a question entering the tournament and it’s even more of one now. Finding the next era of top-level defenders is a must before the 2026 World Cup.
Where to watch
Afghan fans need not miss out on any of the excitement of this year’s tournament which is being broadcast live and exclusively by Ariana Television in Afghanistan.
For the full broadcast schedule CLICK HERE
Sunrisers Hyderabad produced a commanding all-round performance to defeat Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs in their Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter on April 13.
After posting an imposing total of 216/6, Hyderabad’s bowlers backed up the effort with a clinical display, dismissing Rajasthan for 159 in 19 overs.
The standout performer was Ishan Kishan, who was named Player of the Match for his explosive 91 off 44 balls, anchoring SRH’s innings and setting up the victory. On the bowling side, Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge delivered decisive spells, each claiming four wickets to dismantle the Royals’ batting line-up.
Despite a fighting 69 from Donovan Ferreira, Rajasthan struggled to keep pace with the required run rate and ultimately fell well short.
CSK vs KKR – Action Continues Today
Attention now turns to today’s IPL fixture as Chennai Super Kings take on Kolkata Knight Riders in what promises to be a high-stakes clash.
Chennai will look to capitalize on their experienced core, while Kolkata aim to continue their strong campaign with an aggressive batting approach and versatile bowling attack.
Fans in Afghanistan can watch the match live and exclusively on Ariana Television, which continues to bring IPL 2026 coverage to viewers across the country.
With both teams pushing for crucial points in the standings, another thrilling contest is expected.
Sport
ACB holds high-level meeting with new national team head coach
Officials exchanged views on preparation structures, player management, and coordination between departments ahead of future international assignments.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has held a comprehensive introductory meeting with newly appointed national team head coach Richard Pybus, bringing together senior officials and key technical departments to discuss the future direction of Afghan cricket.
The meeting was led by ACB Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan and included heads of domestic cricket, international cricket, the selection committee, and the high-performance centre. National team captains Hashmatullah Shahidi and Ibrahim Zadran also took part in the discussions.
According to the board, the first part of the session focused on outlining the long-term strategic vision for Afghanistan cricket, including performance goals and development pathways for the national team.
The head coach then led detailed technical discussions with department heads, seeking input on planning and execution for the upcoming national team training camp in Kabul. Officials exchanged views on preparation structures, player management, and coordination between departments ahead of future international assignments.
The ACB described the meeting as productive, noting that it reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen communication between coaching staff and technical units as the team prepares for a busy international schedule.
Afghanistan’s under-17 national football team concluded their 2026 CAFA U-17 Championship campaign with a 3–2 defeat against Tajikistan in their final match.
The team had previously registered two losses and one draw in their earlier three fixtures of the tournament.
The Central Asian competition, featuring five countries including Afghanistan, is being hosted by Uzbekistan and is scheduled to conclude on April 13.
The championship serves as a development platform for youth football in the region, offering players valuable international exposure while allowing national federations to evaluate emerging talent.
Fans across Afghanistan can follow the matches live on Ariana Television.
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