Nacer Chadli scored with the final kick off the game to complete a remarkable Belgium comeback in their 3-2 win over Japan in the last 16 of the World Cup on Monday.
Two goals in the first seven minutes of the second half put Japan on course to reach their first World Cup quarter final before Roberto Martinez’s game-changing substitutions.
Jan Vertonghen pulled one back for the Red Devils with a fluke header, and replacements Marouane Fellaini and Chadli saved the well-fancied Europeans in dramatic fashion to set up a salivating quarter-final with Brazil.
Japan showed that they were not simply going to sit back when Shinji Kagawa unleashed a second-minute sighter which he dragged only a few yards wide of the post.
The Blue Samurai were the better team for the opening 20 minutes, harrying the Red Devils midfield relentlessly and passing their way through Belgian’s own attempts to press.
Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima was called into action for the first time when Eden Hazard unleashed a left-footed drive which he tipped around the post on 28 minutes, and his flap at the resultant corner went unpunished as nobody could get on the end of Vincent Kompany’s full-stretch cutback.
Just as it appeared as though the number-three ranked side in the world were taking control, Japan showed their spirit as Yuto Nagatomo stood up a cross that striker Yuya Osako headed straight at Thibaut Courtois.
The Chelsea goalkeeper nearly embarrassed himself on the stroke of half time when he let a deflected, yet tame, Nagatomo shot through his legs, with only a despairing dive preventing the ball from sneaking over the line.
It was the whole Belgium team who were facing humiliation seven minutes into the second half as Japan opened up a surprising lead through two high-quality goals.
Genki Haraguchi kept his composure to pick out the bottom corner on 48 minutes, after Vertonghen had failed to cut out a through-ball from Japan captain Makoto Hasebe.
Fellaini was thrown on to cause aerial carnage against a much smaller Japanese back line and did exactly that on 74 minutes when he powered the ball down and through Kawashima from Hazard’s wicked left-footed delivery.
Belgium will battle former World Champions Brazil in the last eight on Friday at the Kazan Arena, Kazan.
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