‘Plot twist: Japan win the World Cup’ – fans react to Belgium-Japan first-half

When England and Belgium played back on Thursday, the talk was of a last-16 fixture against Japan being an easy route to the quarter-finals.

Well, after a first-half in the Rostov Arena on Monday when Japan more than held their own against the much-fancied Red Devils, the tide began to turn.

There was some hyperbole to begin.

However, some fans were relieved that England were not playing Japan.