World Cup 2018: Japan beat 10-man Colombia in Group H
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Highlights: Colombia 1-2 Japan
Japan profited from Colombia's nightmare start to the World Cup as they secured a victory against 10 men in their Group H opener in Saransk, despite James Rodriguez's late introduction.
Colombia conceded a penalty and had a man sent off inside three minutes, with Carlos Sanchez dismissed for handling Shinji Kagawa's shot at a goal left exposed by terrible defending.
After the first red card shown at this World Cup - and the second fastest in history at two minutes 56 seconds - Kagawa scored the spot-kick.
Japan should have increased their lead soon after as Takashi Inui and Yuya Osako wasted fine openings.
They were punished when Juan Quintero's clever free-kick, fired low under the jumping wall, brought Jose Pekerman's Colombia on level terms six minutes before the break.
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'Clever free-kick' from Quintero levels for Colombia
Colombia had never come back to win a World Cup match in which they had conceded the opening goal - across 10 games - and star player Rodriguez was brought on in the second half, not having been deemed fit enough to start.
However, it was Japan who regained the lead, Osako finishing with a header from Keisuke Honda's corner.
Rodriguez had been struggling to leave a mark on the game, with Japan at last making their extra man count and dominating possession as might be expected, but there would be one big chance late on.
Freed into space after a clever backheel, Rodriguez's blistering strike from inside the box was deflected over the bar by a brave lunge from Osako.
This was the first time Japan had won a World Cup game on European soil, and the first time they had beaten a side from South America at the tournament.
For Colombia, who reached the quarter-finals in 2014, this was a miserable defeat that leaves them with two very important games against Poland and Senegal to come.
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Kagawa scores penalty after first red card of Russia 2018Dream start for Japan
You might have been forgiven if you had given Japan no chance before this match.
Not only did their history of results at European World Cups and against South American teams go against them, but their build-up was also disrupted by an alarm that went off in the early hours of Monday morning at the team hotel.
Many of the tens of thousands of Colombia fans in Saransk were certainly in confident mood. Maybe too confident.
But on the pitch Japan could not have dreamed of a better start. Davinson Sanchez was caught out by a ball over the top, Osako's shot was saved by Ospina's legs and Kagawa's follow-up was clearly stopped by the hand of former Aston Villa midfielder Carlos Sanchez.
Kagawa coolly slotted home another first - Japan's first goal from the penalty spot at a World Cup.
There were still sloppy moments and some wasteful finishing - they managed to hit the target five times from 14 attempts - but Akira Nishino's side did enough to secure a potentially significant victory.
There were questions over the sacking of manager Vahid Halilhodzic in April, despite the Bosnian having lost only twice during qualifying, but Nishino and his players now have something to build on.
Colombia defeat could be crucial
At least Carlos Sanchez, now of Espanyol, will not take first place in the history books. The dubious honour for the quickest red card at the World Cup remains with Uruguay's Jose Alberto Batista, who was sent off against Scotland in 1986 after 54 seconds.
Nonetheless, this could be a crucial defeat for Colombia in a tight group.
The red card was the biggest factor, but so was the absence of Rodriguez from the starting line-up, plus Radamel Falcao's slightly tentative finishing from two half-chances from balls played over the top.
That Colombia were able to drag themselves back into the game relied on neither of their two big stars. Instead it was Quintero who continued his international renaissance with a lovely goal.
He received his first cap in three years in March, having lost his way at club level since the 2014 World Cup, when Colombia reached the quarter-finals for the first time.
Quintero became the first Colombian to score at two World Cups, and his strike was the fourth goal direct from a set-piece, surpassing the three scored at the previous World Cup - only six days into this tournament.
Man of the match - Yuya Osako (Japan)
Yuya Osako made the decisive contribution for Japan by scoring the winner'We will save our celebration' - what they said
Japan coach Akira Nishino: "Our players were aggressive from the start and that worked very well for us. This is just one win and three points, so we will save our celebration.
"From the start I thought we could be very aggressive and of course we had the advantage of more players. However, I said at half-time, 'It is not just the number of players. Keep moving, get the positioning advantage, to deprive the Colombian front players of their stamina.'
"In the second half we could control the game and ball better and that is why we got the second goal."
Colombia coach Jose Pekerman: "We were expecting something completely different. We were hoping to start with a victory.
"Right now our pain is precisely because after that huge effort, after scoring that goal, we lost because we were worn down.
"We were tired and even if I tried subbing on a couple of fresh players it was very hard for us to recover possession and Japan had its opportunities,"
"The positive side of all this is that you could see the team managed to rise to the occasion. We can make up for this first defeat in the next two matches."
Japan make history - the stats
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Japan became the first Asian side to beat South American opposition at the World Cup (P18 W1 D3 L14).
This is the first World Cup since 1974 in which four South American teams have failed to win their opening game
None of Colombia's 19 games at the World Cup has ended goalless. The only nations that have played more games in the competition without recording a 0-0 are USA (33) and Austria (29).
Keisuke Honda is the first player from an Asian nation to provide an assist in three different World Cups since 1966.
Eiji Kawashima (35 years, 91 days) became the oldest player to appear for Japan in a World Cup match.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Colombia
1Ospina
4Arias
23D Sánchez
3Murillo
17Mojica
16Lerma
6C SánchezBooked at 3mins
11Ju CuadradoSubstituted forBarriosat 31'minutesBooked at 64mins
20QuinteroSubstituted forRodríguezat 59'minutesBooked at 86mins
21IzquierdoSubstituted forBaccaat 70'minutes
9Falcao
Substitutes
2Zapata
5Barrios
7Bacca
8Aguilar
10Rodríguez
12Vargas
13Mina
14Muriel
15Uribe
18Díaz
19Borja
22Jo Cuadrado
Japan
1KawashimaBooked at 90mins
19H Sakai
22Yoshida
3Shoji
5Nagatomo
7ShibasakiSubstituted forYamaguchiat 80'minutes
17Hasebe
8Haraguchi
10KagawaSubstituted forHondaat 70'minutes
14Inui
15OsakoSubstituted forOkazakiat 85'minutes
Substitutes
2Ueda
4Honda
6Endo
9Okazaki
11Usami
12Higashiguchi
13Muto
16Yamaguchi
18Oshima
20Makino
21G Sakai
23Nakamura
Referee:
Damir Skomina
Match Stats
Home TeamColombiaAway TeamJapan
Possession
Home39%
Away61%
Shots
Home8
Away14
Shots on Target
Home3
Away5
Corners
Home3
Away6
Fouls
Home15
Away9
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Colombia 1, Japan 2.
Full TimePosted at 90'+6'
Second Half ends, Colombia 1, Japan 2.
BookingPosted at 90'+3'
Eiji Kawashima (Japan) is shown the yellow card.
Posted at 90'+3'
Takashi Inui (Japan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 90'+3'
Foul by Santiago Arias (Colombia).
Posted at 90'+1'
Keisuke Honda (Japan) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 90'+1'
Foul by James Rodríguez (Colombia).
Posted at 90'
Offside, Colombia. James Rodríguez tries a through ball, but Radamel Falcao is caught offside.
Posted at 87'
Hiroki Sakai (Japan) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 87'
Foul by James Rodríguez (Colombia).
BookingPosted at 86'
James Rodríguez (Colombia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 86'
Genki Haraguchi (Japan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 86'
Foul by James Rodríguez (Colombia).
SubstitutionPosted at 85'
Substitution, Japan. Shinji Okazaki replaces Yuya Osako.
Posted at 82'
Attempt missed. Yuya Osako (Japan) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Hiroki Sakai with a cross.
SubstitutionPosted at 80'
Substitution, Japan. Hotaru Yamaguchi replaces Gaku Shibasaki because of an injury.
Posted at 78'
Attempt missed. Óscar Murillo (Colombia) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Johan Mojica with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 78'
Attempt blocked. Carlos Bacca (Colombia) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Posted at 78'
Corner, Colombia. Conceded by Yuya Osako.
Posted at 78'
Attempt blocked. James Rodríguez (Colombia) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jefferson Lerma.
Posted at 77'
Corner, Colombia. Conceded by Yuto Nagatomo.
Posted at 76'
Foul by Maya Yoshida (Japan).
Posted at 76'
Radamel Falcao (Colombia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!Posted at 73'
Goal! Colombia 1, Japan 2. Yuya Osako (Japan) header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Keisuke Honda with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 73'
Corner, Japan. Conceded by Davinson Sánchez.
Posted at 73'
Attempt blocked. Hiroki Sakai (Japan) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Yuya Osako.
Posted at 71'
Attempt missed. Keisuke Honda (Japan) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Hiroki Sakai.
SubstitutionPosted at 70'
Substitution, Colombia. Carlos Bacca replaces José Izquierdo.
SubstitutionPosted at 70'
Substitution, Japan. Keisuke Honda replaces Shinji Kagawa.
Posted at 66'
Corner, Japan. Conceded by Jefferson Lerma.
Posted at 66'
Attempt blocked. Takashi Inui (Japan) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Makoto Hasebe.
BookingPosted at 64'
Wilmar Barrios (Colombia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 64'
Shinji Kagawa (Japan) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 64'
Foul by Wilmar Barrios (Colombia).
Posted at 61'
Attempt missed. Hiroki Sakai (Japan) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Gaku Shibasaki.
Posted at 61'
Takashi Inui (Japan) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 61'
Foul by Santiago Arias (Colombia).
Posted at 59'
Attempt missed. Maya Yoshida (Japan) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Gaku Shibasaki with a cross following a set piece situation.
SubstitutionPosted at 59'
Substitution, Colombia. James Rodríguez replaces Juan Quintero.
Posted at 58'
Hiroki Sakai (Japan) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Source: bbc.com
Source: bbc.com
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