Historic win for Japan
EARLY PENALTY HELPS JAPAN BEAT COLOMBIA 2-1 AT WORLD CUP
Japan did what no other Asian team had ever done at a World Cup — beat a South American squad on the biggest stage in soccer. The 2-1 victory over Colombia on Tuesday was another surprising result in an unpredictable tournament.
A costly mistake by Colombia midfielder Carlos Sanchez in the opening minutes led to a red card and a penalty, helping Japan take an early lead. Coming in the third minute, it was the second fastest red card in World Cup history and the first of this year’s tournament.
Yuya Osako won a bouncing ball to begin a sequence that led to the red card and the penalty. Sanchez blocked Shinji Kagawa’s shot with his extended right arm and was ejected. Kagawa then converted from the spot.
Colombia, which played with 10 men for the rest of the match, scored late in the first half on Juan Quintero’s rolling but accurate free kick, which sneaked inside the right post. Osako’s gritty determination led to a 73rd-minute header from Keisuke Honda’s corner kick that gave Japan three points in Group H.
“He played well in Germany this season,” Honda said of the Werder Bremen forward. “He also couldn’t score last World Cup and I knew he really wanted to score this game. I’m happy he scored.”
Japan became the latest team to pull off an upset at the World Cup, joining Mexico, Switzerland and Iceland in earning unexpected results. The win was a surprise also because Japan changed coaches shortly before the tournament, and because Asian teams had failed to beat South American opposition in 17 previous World Cup meetings.
“Normally you prepare a match to play 11 players against 11 and to lose one player in the first three minutes — to lose such a crucial player — that’s not an easy thing,” Colombia coach Jose Pekerman said. “In the second half, Japan adapted its style and managed to score by playing better and taking advantage of their opportunities.”
Russia 3, Egypt 1
Russia scored three goals in a 15-minute span early in the second half to set up a 3-1 win over Egypt on Tuesday, moving the host nation to the brink of the World Cup’s knockout stage.
Mohamed Salah won and converted a penalty for a consolation goal on his return from injury but Egypt’s first World Cup in 28 years could be over in barely five days following a second straight loss.
Ahmed Fathi poked the ball into his own net — the fifth own-goal of the tournament — to put Russia ahead in the 47th minute. Then Denis Cheryshev and Artyom Dzyuba scored in quick succession to leave Russia on course for a victory that followed up a 5-0 openingnight win over Saudi Arabia.
Senegal 2, Poland 1
Senegal became the first African team to win at this year’s World Cup, defeating Poland 2-1 Tuesday on a firsthalf own-goal and a controversial second-half score by Mbaye Niang.
Senegal, back in the tournament for the first time since 2002, went ahead in the 37th minute when Thiago Cionek’s attempted block of Idrissa Gueye’s shot wrongfooted goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who was picked to start over fellow Arsenal castoff Lukasz Fabianski.
Niang, who returned to the field from treatment, later beat Szczesny to double the lead in the 60th.