Despite the defeat, Japan advances to the round of 16 thanks to fair play



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Japan will play for the third time in its history the knockout stages of the World Cup despite a 1-0 defeat against Poland, Thursday in Volgograd, at the end of a tight group H which Colombia also obtained the pbad. 19659002] In this way, the Blue Samurai match their best participation in the tournament, the eighth in 2002 and 2010, in six participations.

The Japanese made the pbad at the expense of Senegal, who lost 1-0 to Colombia, with which they ended tied to points (4).

The ranking was defined by the "fair play". The Africans finished the first phase with six yellow and the Asians with four. It was the first time this criterion was used in competition.

Japan will face a place in the quarterfinals with the first group G, positions that are played this Thursday in England and Belgium, at the close of the first phase of the World Cup

A goal from Jan Bednarek to the 59th minute, when the free kick went wide, gave the honor to Poland.

Lewandowski leaves without goal

In Volgograd, the Japanese team has completed a remarkable first part in front of a European team that has sought to leave with a good mouth taste of the World Cup after their two tough defeats in front of Senegal (2-1) and Colombia (3-0).

The second half was Polish, with the team led by Adam Nawalka finally solid in defense and efficient in attack, with the exception of his star Robert Lewandowski, who finished Russia-2018 without knowing what it was. Is to score a goal in a World Cup.

In the initial leg, the Poles dominated the ball but the Asians had more teeth. His best chance came on the 13th, when Takashi Usami knocked close to one of the posts and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, who replaced Wojciech Szczesny, fought back with a stretched solvent

. . At the half-hour mark, Kamil Grosicki hit a header after a corner center of the zone and goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima cleared the ball on the line. The technology of the goal proved that he had not entered.

As in previous matches, Poland showed that its big problem in this World Cup was not being able to connect with Lewandowski. He went to the locker room at half-time without throwing the goal.

Without options for the & k; killer & # 39; of Bayern Munich, it is the defender of Bednarek who hit the hour of play by getting a free kick from Rafal Kurzawa

Bad luck in the second half

With goal and link between Senegal and Colombia, Japan was in eighth position.

But instead of taking risks, he gave way to Poland. In a vertiginous counterattack, Grosicki served from the right the death pbad for Lewandowski and 9 threw him in the plate to shoot too high (74). It was their only chance of the game.

Again from the right (81) came the Polish danger, when Grosicki still served and Tomoaki Makino was about to score with his punt. Kawashima saved the goal

Japan was on the lead but did not find a way to attack the Polish defensive net, which offered its best version when the team played without the pressure to fight for the last 16.

a succession of Polish pbades while the Japanese did not even have a clear opportunity throughout the second part. The goal of the Colombian Yerry Mina in Samara allowed them to play on the eighth Tuesday

© Agence France-Presse

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