TOKYO, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Japan made history once again against Scotland to qualify top of Pool A with a brutal 28-21 victory. Scotland, despite sitting third in the pool, were favorites to win the game and knock Japan out of their home World Cup.
However, spurred on by 70 thousand fans in the Tokyo national stadium, the hosts showed mettle to come from behind in the first half and defend against a relentless second-half onslaught.
An early Finn Russell try in the sixth minute put Scotland immediately on the front foot. It was a moment that may have sent the Japanese fans' minds wondering to the worst, but the home side hit back ten minutes later to take 7-7.
Roared on by a sold-out national stadium and by 40 million watching on TV around Japan, the momentum shifted drastically in Japan's favor.
At times, the rugby was breathtaking, as fly-half Yu Tamura dictated rapid attacking rugby that the Scots could not cope with. In contact, the Japanese support players smashed the Scottish defenders back, while the Japanese offloading game caused the hosts to relentlessly gain ground.
It was this offloading game that sent through front rower Keita Inagaki to send Japan ahead for the first time in the game.
The 14-7 lead soon grew, as winger Kenki Fukuoka scored a stunning try after more offloads, to take the score to 21-7 at half time.
Entering the changing rooms at the break, Japan knew they only needed a single try to get the bonus point to force Scotland to win the game by scoring at least four tries themselves while keeping Japan more than seven points away.
Scotland came out of the second half determined to not let their World Cup slip away from them. However, it was Japan's Fukuoka to single-handedly manage to rip the ball in the tackle and race the 30 meters to score what would prove to be the decisive bonus point try, to take the game to 28-7.
Seeing their chances slip away, Scotland finally found the top gear and in the 49th minute WP Nel touched over to bring the score back up to 28-12.
Three minutes later, Scotland brought on several substitutes to help the swing of the momentum in the game. These changes paid off as in the 55th minute Zander Fagerson scored to take Scotland within a converted try of winning the game, but two converted tries and a penalty of going through to the quarterfinals.
The final 20 minutes was relentless. Wave after wave of Scottish attacks against Japan was repelled repeatedly. As Scotland got close to the Japanese line to perhaps score an important try five minutes from the final whistle, they knocked it on to give Japan possession. A tense five minutes followed, as Japan kept possession in the forwards and waited as the clock ticked by.
As the clock struck 80 minutes and the final gong sounded, scrum-half Fumiaki Tanaka flung the ball to Tamura who booted the ball deep into the raucous stands to send Japan through to a historic first quarterfinal. Enditem
