Colombia advances, Senegal knocked out
Japan falls but wins tiebreaker
SAMARA, Russia — The “fair play” tiebreaker doesn’t seem all that fair to Senegal.
The last African team standing at the World Cup lost to Colombia 1-0 Thursday, leaving it even with Japan on record, goal differential, total goals and head-to-head. The next tiebreaker to determine who would move on as the second-place team in the group — Colombia was first — was a new one: which team accumulated fewer yellow cards. Japan had four, Senegal had six.
Japan lost to Poland 1-0 in the other Group H match, which was played at the same time.
Yerry Mina scored the only goal for Colombia. The 6-foot-5 Barcelona defender leapt above a pair of Senegalese defenders to head the ball hard off the ground, off Senegal goalkeeper Khadim Ndiaye’s hand and into the net, sending the enthusiastic Colombian fans at Samara Stadium into a frenzy.
Colombia, which reached the quarterfinals four years ago in Brazil, is the fourth South American team to advance, with only Peru getting eliminated. All five African teams failed to move on.
Colombia is the only team in Russia to lose its opener and make it to the round of 16. The Colombians appeared that they had regained form with a 3-0 victory over Poland. POLAND 1, JAPAN 0: In Volgograd, Russia, amid a crescendo of boos and whistles as neither side tried to score, Japan advanced to the knockout round at the World Cup because of a newly implemented tiebreaker — fewer yellow cards. The Japanese, barely playing for the final 15 minutes of the match, still reached the round of 16.
Poland, which had already been eliminated, got its goal from defender Jan Bednarek in the 59th minute. He beat his marker at the far post and volleyed in a swerving free kick from Rafal Kurzawa.
When Bednarek scored, Japan was facing elimination. However, Colombia’s goal in the 74th minute of the other group match in Samara meant Japan was in second place and would advance.
As the game continued, it barely got above walking pace, prompting many inside the Volgograd Arena to show their displeasure by whistling and booing.
BELGIUM 1, ENGLAND 0: In Kaliningrad, Russia, in a match neither team had to win, Adnan Januzaj scored with a curling shot in the 51st minute on a night of little tension or attacking intent.
TUNISIA 2, PANAMA 1: In Saransk, Russia, Tunisia captain Wahbi Khazri set up a second-half goal and then scored one of his own to help his side secure its first victory in a World Cup in four decades. Both Group G teams were already eliminated going into the match.
Notes
GOALS: Players from the Premier League and the Spanish league scored nearly half of the goals at the World Cup in the group stage.
Of the 122 goals in the 48 matches so far, 31 came from players in England’s top league and 29 from players in Spain. Four other goals came from players on teams in those country’s second division.
The Premier League has two of the top scorers: Tottenham striker Harry Kane with five goals for England and Manchester United forward Romelu Lukaku with four for Belgium. The Spanish league has Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo with four goals for Portugal,
Major League Soccer has seen two of its players score — Carlos Vela of Los Angeles FC for Mexico and Kendall Waston of the Vancouver Whitecaps for Costa Rica.
EMBARRASSED WINNER: Michy Batshuayi’s celebration after Belgium’s goal at the World Cup has drawn plenty of laughs online.
The Borussia Dortmund striker scooped up the ball after Adnan Januzaj scored Thursday in a 1-0 victory over England and kicked it hard — probably aiming for the net. Instead, it hit the post and rebounded onto his face.
He did not appear to be injured, though his pride may have been hurt.
Videos of the secondhalf celebration were circulating online within minutes and were shared widely.
Batshuayi quickly took ownership of his gaffe.
“Why am I so stupid bro,” he wrote on Twitter, along with a long line of emojis and some expletives.
U.S.: Dave Sarachan’s contract as interim U.S. coach has been extended through the end of the year by the U.S. Soccer Federation. The USSF also had extended the contracts of assistant coaches Richie Williams and Matt Reis.
ROONEY: Wayne Rooney is coming to Major League Soccer with D.C. United, the latest star to take his talents across the pond to the United States.
Rooney follows the lead of Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic and retired countryman David Beckham by leaving Europe for MLS later in their careers. He signed a 3½ year designated-player contract with D.C. United.