Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has criticised Spain's omission of David de Gea from their World Cup squad, as he slammed goalkeeper Unai Simon for what would have been a "fatal" mistake in a knockout game during their 2-1 defeat to Japan on Thursday night.
After beating Germany 2-1 earlier in the tournament, Japan upset the odds once more as they came from behind to beat Luis Enrique's side and finish top of Group E. Before the tournament started, Spain and Germany looked a shoo-in to qualify for the round of 16, with the only question seemingly being which of the two sides would claim top spot.
Yet Japan stunned both Germany and Spain with near carbon copy sucker-punch 2-1 victories, as Hansi Flick's side crashed out at the group stages despite their 4-2 win over Costa Rica. In fact, if it had not been for their 7-0 win over Costa Rica, the Spain squad would have been the side to exit the group as they avoided elimination on goal difference alone.
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The main talking point of the evening came in the wake of Japan's second goal. Ao Tanaka turned the ball home in the 51st minute, and after a lengthy VAR check, it was ruled that the ball had not gone out of play prior to substitute Kaoru Mitoma's cross from the byeline, even though on first viewing it appeared to have done so.
The controversial strike was Japan's second in a matter of minutes, as Ritsu Doan equalised 142 seconds earlier with a fierce shot from the edge of the area. Yet Neville questioned Simon's goalkeeping for the Samurai Blue's opening goal, as he claimed that United shot-stopper De Gea would have kept the ball out.
He told ITV: "The big decision with Spain is deciding whether to stick with the goalkeeper, Simon hasn’t filled me with confidence. He’s the one weak point. I have to say it starts badly, we know they play out from the back, we want them to, it’s how they’ve operated but once this shot [ Doan's] comes in. He’s got to save that.
"You’ve got [David] Raya on the bench, [Robert] Sanchez on the bench, De Gea’s still at home - I know he hasn’t been brilliant these last few years, I can’t think he’d let that in, that’s a bad one that. In a knockout game that’s fatal."
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