Paul MacInnes was there to see it. Here’s his match report.

Bradford gets in touch from Australia: “That picture you provided for the second Japan goal clearly shows the balls outer edge still hanging over the white line. By that picture, the ball is in play, NOT out. However, when the broadcasters show replays, it looks like that frame you provided might not be the best one showing the ball at it’s furthest point of travel before coming back in towards goal. As an Australian, it’s so SO good seeing the blue samurai take it to European powerhouses. Throw UAE and Iran in, and it shows Asia isn’t the walkover.”

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Ben Mabley, the Premier League commentator in Japan, had this to say:

“Ever since I came to Japan, I have often heard that Japanese soccer has a short history, and I never want to hear it again! This year, too, a great history is happening right before your eyes! ! congratulations! !”

Peter Walton, who appears to live in a VAR room of TVs, says goal-line technology and says VAR was right to stay with the ref’s decision if we don’t know if the “curvature of the ball is over the line”. He doesn’t know, then. Nobody does. The picture of the ball crossing the line has done a Lord Lucan and disappeared.

Roger Kirkby: “Not having a dog in the fight, that is the best two nights of football I have ever watched. Fantastic stuff, and then some.”

Simon McMahon: “Credit to Japan. Beating Germany and Spain, while losing to Costa Rica, is some achievement. In the end, it’s the Germans who have ended up regretting one poor performance. What a group. Football, eh? Bloody hell.”

Seth Levine: “To Rope-a-dope Germany is impressive. To rooe-a-dope Germany and Spain is unbelievable. Thoroughly deserved. Not sure I’ve ever been more pleased for any side in any sport. Love the way they play. No s**t-housery. No histrionics. Brilliant fans. Excellent tactically. Manager wears a charcoal three-piece suit. What’s not to love?”

ITV are going to give Peter Walton a call to clear it all up for us on the second goal. The one night he takes off, and misses THAT line call. Though any money he will back the Fifa call.

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That’s how they finish. Japan will play Croatia, and Spain will play Morocco.

Costa Rica and Germany are playing out the dead seconds and it’s over! Spain finish second in the group and would not be there without that 7-0 win over Costa Rica.

Japan are this tournament’s surprise machine, and they have made sure Germany are out of the World Cup at the group stage for the second successive tournament. Japan were brilliant from the start of the second half. Doan made all the difference, as did the second goal, when the ball was deemed to cross the line. We still haven’t seen what the VAR came up with. Controversy reigns, but so do Japan who win the group. Very well done to them.

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90+7 min: Big cheers when Gonda gets the ball and takes his time over it. Spain seem happy to hold the ball now. Boos as they mount one final attack. Cheers when the ball is cleared and that’s it…Japan have done it.

90+6 min: Spain are passing it around, with the drums, the drums, the…drums still playing. The Japanese are reduced to a back five, seven and nine now. Their fans are singing and whistling. Not long now.

90+5 min: Spain still pushing for this one, by the way. Japan have defended so well but are reduced to getting it launched out, with nobody up there to chase the ball down.

90+4 min: The prediction at this point is the pages of Bild will include a pic of that ball going over the line – or otherwise – for that Japan goal.

90+2 min: This is no Gijon-style detente between Austria and Germany from 1982. Spain are trying to get into this. Ten minutes have been added on in the other game, where Füllkrug has scored to put the Germans 4-2 up.

90 min: AS IT STANDS: Spain and Japan are going through. There’s seven added minutes.

89 min: Jordi Alba, who actually came on as a sub, has shot blocked, and so does Asensio as the ball bounces out. Then Olmo is on the end of a nice passing move and Gonda saves low, and holds on.

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88 min: The count-back is getting querulous right now. Spain stuck between wanting to win the group and knocking the Germans out. I think. These games are on the same clock.

Havertz has scored and Spain will edge out Germany on goal difference. Germany need a Spain goal to stay in the World Cup.

84 min: Ito almost gets away and Carvajal has to run all the way back to clear the danger. One on one with Simon was a sub-optimal situation. Spain having to chuck everything at this, and the back door is being left open.

83 min: Japan take their time over a free-kick. A lot of time. Doan, the magic man, takes it and Itakura head down. This time, Simon was comfortable. Mind, the header was from about 30 yards out.

81 min: Nathan Barnes: “It’s unthinkable that the team who were battered 7-0 in their first group game are ahead in their conquerors in the last group game. Football never ceases to amaze.”

Not now. (I think.)

80 min: It’s all Spain, but so far it’s been all toothless. The Spain that don’t have a striker, Morata having long left the field. Fati chases the ball down to the byline but can’t win a corner.

77 min: Adriana Batalha has a VAR referee in her house, it seems. Is it Peter Walton? Actually, where is Peter Walton? “I showed that picture to the expert in my house and he says in looks like it’s in. You have to look at the whole volume of the ball, not the part that is touching the floor. If you look at the wider part of the sphere, it’s in the line.”

76 min: Lots of emails in saying the ball was IN for the second Japan goal. Guess it’s in the eye of the beholder, or VAR as it were. And we still haven’t seen the image they used.

74 min: OK, Spain still need to find a goal. They can’t rely on the Germans and Costa Rica. Tomiyasu gets back to show his experience and sweep up. Japan hold on to this and Germany are done.

Kai Havertz has scored and that breathes life into Spain if not yet Germany.

72 min: Spain have to find a goal from somewhere. Japan really defending deep.

AS IT STANDS, Spain and Germany are going out. Manuel Neuer again, and it’s Juan Pablo Vargas after a lengthy VAR delay.

70 min: Asano, one of the Japanese subs, has a glorious chance, Mitoma setting him up with a burst down the wing, and a lovely pass inside. Asano got excited.

69 min: One more Spain subs: Fati on, Alba off. Japan sub: Tomiyasu comes on, having nursed his way through back from the muscle injury he picked up against FC Zurich.

66 min: This game’s gone to piddle recently. Perhaps having the score from the other game on the scoreboard – as I believe is the case – is stopping them playing properly.

64 min: Was the ball out? It looks it here. We’re still yet to see the VAR imagery. Gianni Infantino is in the stands, feeling Japanese no doubt. Or Costa Rican. But not a migrant worker.

62 min: 30 minutes plus change of this fare to come. Not so much now that TV execs have decided they don’t like all that time added on. Interferes with the advertisers, see.

Talking of goalies dropping a rickett, Manuel Neuer’s had one. Yeltsin Tejeda scores, ans suddenly both Spain and Germany are staring down the barrel.

59 min: Kari Tulinius emails in: “Jonathan Wilson has the theory that I it can be bad for a team to score too early. That’s clearly the case when playing against Japan, who seem to get better the longer they’re behind. Costa Rica had the good sense to score against them late in the first half and won.”

57 min: Spain subs: Off go Williams and Morata, and on come Asensio and Ferran Torres.

56 min: Howard from Streatham messages in: “Might be late to this but where’s De Gea?” Yes, Unai Simon is taking the rap for this one so far. Meanwhile, the VAR has yet to show us the ball was in. Or an image to that end. Soccer!

53 min: AS IT STANDS: Germany are heading out. Japan’s subs again turning this group on its head.

Japan have the ball in the net again! Doan again, the ball running to the byline, and it’s knocked in. VAR run the check, and the ball looked to have run back out of play. Nagatomo looked to have not been able to keep it in. Was it in? It was! So says VAR. There must be nothing in it.

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49 min: As it stands, Japan are going through on head to head. Well well well.

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The drums, the drums, the drums continue. But what’s this? Doan, the sub, has scored. With one hell of a wallop, the ball dropping to him outside the box. Unai Simon was again guilty, first in dallying on the ball, secondly in not making the save. Well well.

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46 min: One change for Spain, two for Japan. Dani Carvajal for Cesar Azpilicueta. And for Japan, Nagatomo and Kubo have gone off, and Doan and Mitoma of Brighton have come on.

More emails:

Roger Kirkby: “Hi John, fun fact for you. In the last 4 World Cups 13 times groups have been won by a team with 9 points. Not one of them went on to win it. The winners had 7 or 6 points.”

Alexandra Ashton: “Eagerly wearing my Japan shirt with my boyfriend, hoping for a miracle. As it stands, they’ve looked rather awful to my eye (I think it’ll be 2-0 Spain), although he contends Japan will “grow into the game” and win 2-1. Remains to be seen whether he or I will be proven right at full time.”

The emails are in.

Matt Dony: “Spain have a Rodri and a Williams on the pitch. They’re the new Wales. Dewch ymlaen, Sbaen!”

Simon McMahon: “Evening John. This is hardly BREAKING NEWS, but I’d think that come full time, Japan will be kicking themselves about the Costa Rica game. A missed opportunity. But you just never know I suppose, maybe they can turn this game around like they did against Germany. Whatever happens, their fans will still tidy up at full time and leave in an orderly, good-natured fashion. I think all fans should be more like the Japanese.’

Albert Farkas: “I can‘t help it, I just can‘t stand Morata‘s visage. He gives off vibes of a Spanish Patrick Bateman.”

Roger Kirkby: “Hi John, not the fireworks of last night, Japan really need to score or this is now dead rubber territory.”

In a previous life, I worked for an American company who banned the use of “dead rubber”, and didn’t like the phrase “cross-cum-shot” either. It had never crossed my mind that these were in way rude. I still don’t know why they are…

Some World Cup news for half-time reading.

It’s been all Spain, and that relatively early goal from Alvaro Morata reflects their dominance. Japan have struggled but worked so hard to be still in the game. An even more manful effort is required in the second half, as Germany are winning the other match.

45 min: Gavi takes rap to the ankles from a Taniguchi tackle, and the offender is then booked. Then Yoshida is booked for smashing into Morata. Except he hadn’t. A simulation got the former Southampton player booked. Just one minute added on.

43 min: Olmo shapes to shoot and it’s blocked as Taniguchi slides in. Japan have defended redoubtably. So difficult for them to stem the flow.

41 min: Alejandro Balde, 19, one of the next gen, and already looks the part.

39 min: First booking: Itakura smashes into Pedri, who had been sold a little short by a Busquets pass. Painful one, but the Barca boy will be OK to continue. Itakura, playing as a wing-back, is now suspended for the next round should Japan get there.

38 min: Spain are finding this perhaps a little more ragged than they would like. But still in heavy control.

36 min: Are Japan getting somewhere? At last, the likes of Nagatomo are getting a touch, and Ito, and Kamada has a shot blocked. There was an offside there the referee missed.

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34 min: Unai Simon turns a wobble into a counterattack, almost sending Williams away with a hurried hack with the ever hopeful Daizen Maeda giving chase.

32 min: Busquets takes a whack, takes his time getting up. So does Gavi. The 34-year-old has a yellow card and may be withdrawn as soon as this job is complete.

31 min: Japan get a glimmer but then Busquets shows off his trademark anticipation and the stats men tells Spain have had 79 percent of possession. If they had a striker, they’d be dangerous. Hang on, they have Morata.

30 min: Spain taking the sting out by passing around, moving the ball around at will, tiring out their Japanese chasers.

28 min: Japan are frustrated here. They came to press and are being pressed to distraction. Busquets looks their best route back in, and he is rather lax in playing the ball back to Unai Simon, who has to hurry up to launch the ball clear.

26 min: Peter Oh joins us: “This is a timely battle of goalkeeper nominative determinism, because Shuichi is Japanese for ‘once a week’, and Unai is Basque for ‘now’.”