Senegal succumbed to their first defeat at the World Cup losing 0-1 to Colombia, but what would hurt them most is the ill-fated fortune by virtue of which they find themselves knocked out after receiving two more bookings than Japan, who in contrast went through despite a similar defeat to Poland.
Up and until the 74th minute they were leading Group H and Colombia followed behind because Poland had scored in Volgograd and Japan were bowing out. But Yerry Mina thumped a header into goal and just as South America found another team in the last 16, Africa sadly will have none for the first-time in 36 years.
Senegal needed a draw to qualify and so did Colombia meaning both sides defended more than attacking. The game turned a fiesty-affair with fouls across every 10 minutes and because Colombia had more supporters gathered at the Samara Arena, all Senegal received was boos everytime they touched the ball.
But thay did not deter them from tackling Colombia’s physicality and they did so even bringing some of the same pace in the flanks that had seen them crush Poland and hold Japan to a 2-2 draw. It did not disappoint them here either and by the 18th minute Senegal had a penalty when centre-back Davinson Sánchez fouled Sadio Mane from behind.
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Referee Milorad Mazic straight away pointed to the spot but VAR so unlikely turned saviour at-least for once and Colombia were rescued. But Senegal couldn’t be when Mina rose the highest from a corner and headed home carrying ‘Los Cafeteros’ to the top, while the ‘Lions of Teranga’ saw the exit.
The goal brought them level on points, goal-difference and head-to-head record with the Asian side but not on fair-play and as cruel as it could get, Africa’s last hopes were fading because Senegal had accumulated two more bookings while Japan had two less.
Japan advance despite defeat
After making six changes in an important encounter, with their fate still on the line, Japan nearly paid the price for a tactical blunder, but they still scrapped into the second-round, Senegal going out on fair-play.
To see a team hopelessly pass the ball around inside their own-half despite being 0-1 down looked like a comedy of errors and a brain-fade but Japan’s tactics would not be questioned once more after Senegal failed to equalise against Colombia – the ‘Blue Samurai’ happy to lose but not take a risk.
It somehow looked a well-managed tactic in the end – their gamble paying through – as Japan qualified on fair-play, having received two-less bookings than their noisy African neighbours.
Poland on their part salvaged some lost pride after two consecutive defeats and came back strong defeating Japan 1-0, when Jan Bednarek smashed the ball into the net from a Rafal Kurzawa free-kick in the 59th minute.