‘Racist’ tweet could inspire Senegal in Japan showdown

YEKATERINBURG: Senegal face Japan on Sunday at the World Cup fired up by an “ignorant” tweet by a British tycoon and reality television star that has become the talk of the team.

Along with Nigeria, a powerful Senegal side spearheaded by Liverpool striker Sadio Mane are flying the flag for Africa in Russia. After battling to a 2-1 opening win over Poland in Group H, Aliou Cisse’s Senegal can take a major step towards the last 16 with victory over Japan in Yekaterinburg.

They unwittingly found themselves at the centre of a Twitter storm this week after

businessman Alan Sugar tweeted a picture of the Senegal team with the caption, “I recognise some of these guys from the beach in Marbella”. alongside the picture, the billionaire Briton posted images of sunglasses and handbags for sale.

Livewire forward Mane is Senegal’s prime dangerman, but it was the raw pace and power of Mbaye Niang and a mistake by Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny that clinched victory on Tuesday after Thiago Cionek’s own goal put the Africans ahead.

Cisse and his men are now dreaming of a repeat of their run to the quarterfinals in 2002 — he captained that team.

A week ago, Japan — who sacked Vahid Halilhodzic and brought in Akira Nishino as coach just weeks before the World Cup — looked the easiest game in the group.

But a shock 2-1 win over Colombia made them the first Asian side to beat a South American team at a World Cup and will have infused the Japanese with badly needed belief.