Kyodo, Russia :
Japan took the back door into the World Cup round of 16 on Thursday, losing 1-0 to Poland but progressing due to a Colombia win over Senegal and the FIFA fair play points system favoring the Samurai Blue.
Akira Nishino’s team finished second in Group H and will face Group G winners Belgium in the first knockout round today (Monday). The outcome saved Japan’s head coach from at least some questions about his risky decision to start the game with a team showing six changes to the one that performed well in a gutsy 2-2 draw with Senegal in Ekaterinburg, leaving all four of his Russia 2018 goalscorers on the bench.
Colombia beat Senegal 1-0 thanks to a second-half goal by defender Yerry Mina and the South Americans finished top of Group H to set up a clash with Group G runners-up England.
Speaking before the final Group G games later on Thursday, Nishino said, “They (England and Belgium) are both world-class teams so it is a great challenge for us to face them, and we have to do good analysis and prepare our team and our strategies.”
Senegal and Japan both finished on four points having been handed their first defeats of the tournament Thursday, and with the same goal difference and number of goals scored.
