Attacking Japan in pole position to progress

A revived Japan go into Thursday’s decisive Group H match against an already-eliminated Poland knowing a draw would be sufficient to advance to the knockout rounds after it beat Colombia and drew with Senegal in its opening fixtures.

Given little hope coming into the tournament, a combination of luck, Colombia had a man sent off and gave away a penalty after just three minutes, organisation and clinical finishing has put Japan in prime position to progress.

Although a draw would be enough, Japan’s philosophy under new coach Akira Nishino has been an attacking one and they are likely to go for the win against the disappointing Poles.

“Japan is not the kind of team that can aim for a point and go and carry that plan out,” captain Makoto Hasebe said on Monday.

“I think we have to focus on getting three points rather than make calculations. We have four points after two games but we haven’t accomplished anything yet.”

Nishino promised attacking football when he took over in April and his side have obliged in Russia, with four goals scored and a hatful of chances created.

“I really wanted to win,” the coach said after its 2-2 draw against Senegal on Sunday, when Japan came from behind twice and equalised in the 78th minute. “We wanted to get the lead even though there was only a short period of time left.”

Japan’s task is likely to be made easier by the bitterly disappointing form of their opponents, who have lost both their games and have scored just once.

Poland, eighth in the FIFA rankings, has failed to live up to the strong World Cup qualifying campaign when it topped its group with just one loss.

A large part of their success had come courtesy of Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, who scored 16 goals in qualifying and came to Russia as Poland’s main man.

He has failed to live up to that billing, drawing a blank in his first two matches in Russia, lending credence to doubts about his ability to perform on the biggest of stages.

“Many things did not go as they should today, during this World Cup,” Lewandowski said after 3-0 loss to Colombia.

“I was alone, we fought, I fought, I did everything I could, but fighting is not enough to win World Cup matches, you also have to have quality, and we had too little of that.”

Senegal on 

shaky ground

Allowing a lead to twice slip from its grasp in the last World Cup game could come back to haunt Senegal when it faces Colombia in a decisive Group H clash in Samara on Thursday.

The west Africans could have ensured qualification to the next phase in Russia in Sunday’s second group match against Japan but are now on shaky ground after playing out a 2-2 draw, even if the permutations are still weighted in their favour.

On Thursday, as the group phase draws to a close, Senegal only needs a draw to advance but victory for Colombia will put them into the next round instead, leaving Senegal eliminated if Japan avoid defeat against Poland in Volgograd at the same time.

Colombia could also advance with a draw, but only if Japan loses.

Japan and Senegal head the group on four points each with Colombia one behind after rebounding with a 3-0 thumping of the now-eliminated Poland in Kazan on Sunday.

It was an emphatic reaffirmation of its potential after ten-man Colombia, quarter-finalists in Brazil four years ago, had suffered an upset defeat in the opening game to Japan.

The likes of Falcao and Juan Cuadrado underlined the quality in a team that welcomed back James Rodriguez, top scorer at the last World Cup, to a leading role after starting him from the bench against Japan.

“The team played as a unit and the football emerged from this unity. It led to the goals and now we have a good position in this World Cup,” Colombia coach Jose Pekerman said after the victory.

Senegal will be concerned by the potential of letting slip a favourable position, after kicking off the tournament with a 2-0 win over Poland and then being in command against Japan, only to prove unable to secure all the points.

“We still have our destiny in our own hands,” insisted defender Kalidou Koulibaly, but teammate Alfred Ndiaye warned of a hard task ahead. 

“Colombia’s style of play is similar to ours, very physical, moving forward quickly. We know that we must not lose this game. We’re aware that we will have to give everything to qualify,” Ndiaye said.