World Cup 2018: 4 host nations that pulled off upsets 

#4 Japan – World Cup 2002

Hosts Japan proved to be anything but whipping boys in the 2002 World Cup

Japan didn’t make it as far as co-hosts South Korea in the 2002 World Cup, but the fact that they made it through the group stage and into the round of 16 – winning two games and drawing the other – was an upset in itself given their diabolical showing four years previous. In the 1998 edition of the tournament, they’d been Group H’s whipping boys, losing all three games, even against fellow strugglers Jamaica.

A 2-2 draw with a solid Belgium side in their opening game set the tone, though, giving Japan their first ever World Cup point.

From there they went from strength to strength, defeating Russia 1-0 with a second-half goal from Junichi Inamoto and then overcoming Tunisia 2-0 with both goals coming after halftime.

A match with eventual semi-finalists Turkey proved to be a bridge too far in the round of 16 – but they didn’t go down without a fight, as Japan had more shots, more possession and more corners, but couldn’t make it count.

Still, they’d proven themselves to be far more than the joke side they’d been in 1998, and that in itself was an upset victory for the co-hosts as they came away with their first two World Cup wins.

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Which of these upsets are in your favourites list? Sound off in the comments section below!