Japan joins Colombia in last 16 as Senegal suffers bitter yellow blow
COLOMBIA’S Yerry Mina thumped home a second-half header to secure a dramatic 1-0 victory over Senegal yesterday that catapulted the South Americans into the World Cup last 16 and dumped their African opponents out of the tournament.
Senegal had only needed a point in its final Group H game to reach the next round, but defeat saw it miss out to Japan, which edged it out of the runner-up spot by virtue of having a better disciplinary record.
It was the first time in World Cup history that two teams had been separated by the amount of yellow cards they had accrued in the tournament.
Both Senegal and Japan, which was beaten 0-1 by Poland in Volgograd yesterday, finished the group with four points and an identical record in all other respects. Yet the Asian side ended in second position having picked up four yellow cards to Senegal’s six.
Colombia, which finished as the group winner with six points, will face a last-16 match against the runner-up in Group G where England and Belgium were battling for supremacy later yesterday.
Defeat eliminated Senegal at the group stage in its first World Cup appearance since 2002, and left Africa without a representative in the knockout stages.
Senegal had been heading through until the 74th minute when Mina rose to meet a corner and sent a bullet header into the net at Samara Arena.
It was a crushing blow to the Senegalese who had been the better side for most of the game and had a penalty award overturned in the first half after a VAR review.
It had looked set to take the lead in the 17th when Liverpool forward Sadio Mane went down in the area under a challenge from Davinson Sanchez and referee Milorad Mazic pointed to the spot. The VAR system has not been universally acclaimed at this tournament, but television replays appeared to show Sanchez get his heel on the ball, before clattering into Mane, and after reviewing his original decision, Mazic agreed.
In Volgograd, the Samurai Blue, who had needed only a draw to qualify from Group H, went behind in the 59th when Poland’s Rafal Kurzawa floated a free kick to the far post and an unmarked Jan Bednarek scored from close range.
Until then, Japan had looked content to contain Poland in stifling heat at Volgograd Arena and it left in-form midfielder Takashi Inui on the bench until it was chasing an equalizer.
Poland’s star striker Robert Lewandowski missed a good chance to double the lead in the 74th, meaning he failed to score in all three matches he played at the World Cup.
The game finished in farcical circumstances with both Japan and Poland happy with the result and content to play keep-ball.