Fifa World Cup - Russia 2018

FT Colombia handed a 2 – 1 defeat by Japan #WorldCup

Who said changing your manager two months before a tournament would leave you in chaos? Well done Japan.

Davinson Sanchez has made crucial blocks and kept Colombia in the game in the 2nd half.

Yuya Osako

Japan pulled off a significant shock in their World Cup opener, capitalising on a third-minute red card for Carlos Sánchez to beat Colombia 2-1 in Group H.

Sánchez blocked a goal-bound shot from Shinji Kagawa, giving the referee no option but to send him off, though the Colombian took a long time to leave. Kagawa eventually dispatched the penalty.

Juan Quintero equalised from a free-kick in the 39th minute with a brilliant piece of improvisation, waiting for the Japanese wall to jump and rolling the ball underneath it. Eiji Kawashima thought he had saved it but the ball had crossed the line.

Yuya Osako restored Japan’s lead in the 73rd minute, heading past David Ospina from a corner.

Poland play Senegal later in the other opening match in Group H. Next up for Japan are Senegal in Ekaterinburg on Sunday, which finishes an hour before Colombia play Poland in Kazan.

That’s Japan’s first World Cup win in Europe and their first against South American opposition. Colombia fought brilliantly in the first half; if you didn’t know they were down to ten men, you might not have guessed. But Japan turned the tide marvellously in the second period and was deserved winners in the end. This result really throws Group H open, with Poland and Senegal to come next.

Source: The Guardian