Germany vs Japan LIVE: World Cup 2022 result, final score and reaction after shock late turnaround

“A striker who was supposed to be dispensable now has only one equal. That’s the story of Olivier Giroud, who just keeps going, and keeps scoring. The 36-year-old finally got the goal he didn’t in 2018 to claim his first in the World Cup in eight years before quickly following it with another.

“That made it 4-1 to France against Australia and was also the 51st goal of his international career, to match Thierry Henry’s record. Giroud may well surpass that in this tournament, a World Cup he wasn’t even expected to start in. This was precisely why Karim Benzema’s injury wasn’t seen as anything close to a disaster by the French, despite his immense quality.

“They’d already won a World Cup with Giroud and, far from the Real Madrid player taking them to another level, the belief is that the team just works better with the Milan striker. He links it all together. Kylian Mbappe certainly enjoys playing with him.

“As regards levels, the reality of this game was that a plucky but hugely limited Australia just couldn’t get close to France.” Miguel Delaney’s match report from Qatar, as France began their World Cup defence with a victory over Australia:

We move swiftly on to Germany vs Japan at the Khalifa International Stadium!

Team news:

Germany: Neuer; Schlotterbeck, Sule, Rudiger, Raum; Kimmich, Gundogan; Gnabry, Muller, Musiala; Havertz

Japan: Gonda; Sakai, Itakura, Yoshida, Ito, Nagatomo; Endo, Tanaka; Kubo, Kamada, Maeda

FULL-TIME: Goalless at the Al Bayt Stadium.

Two teams who very simply cancelled each other out. No clear-cut chances to speak of either, both sides very solid in their shape.

Morocco will be the happier, while Croatia were a tad lacklustre. No repeat of 2018 when they won all three World Cup games.

Onto Belgium vs Canada in Group F later on at 7pm...

Lucas Hernandez has become the latest France player to be ruled out of the World Cup.

The Bayern Munich defender was forced off in the first half of Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Australia and subsequent scans have shown a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee.

It means Hernandez will be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines and play no further part in the holders’ attempts to defend their World Cup title in Qatar.

The left back was replaced by brother Theo against Australia.

More details here:

90+3 mins: Morocco dominant in the last few minutes but Croatia holding firm - Ziyech loses the ball before lunging in on Modric.

Heading for a point apiece here...

90 mins: Six minutes of time added on - could we have some late drama?

89 mins: A late change for Croatia: Perisic OFF, Orsic ON.

Not quite been the Tottenham man’s day in Al Khor.

88 mins: There’s only been two shots on goal from each team, according to the FIFA statistics.

That, ladies and gents, rather sums up the match... how much added time will we get, however?

85 mins: Morocco bit more on the front-foot in this last few minutes, do they sense a winner is available here if they push on a bit more?

Ziyech still doing his best to be the playmaker in midfield. Into the last five (15) we go...

81 mins: Modric whips it in from the right but it can only be harmlessly headed wide by Josko Gvardiol, who is penalised for climbing on a defender anyway.

Two subs for Morocco: En-Nesyri and Ounahi OFF, Hamdallah and Sabiri ON.