Japan makes it to the next round on the back of fair play on Day 15 of the World Cup
View as Slide Show Image
Japan makes it to the next round on the back of fair play on Day 15 of the World Cup
By AP | IST (Updated)
It doesn't get any tighter than it did between Japan and Senegal on Day 15 at the World Cup, and they weren't even playing each other. Both lost 1-0 in simultaneous matches, and since they were tied on every other measure, for the first time, a World Cup group was decided by who had fewer yellow cards. Senegal went home and Japan joined Colombia in advancing.
Belgium avoided any such complicated scenarios by topping England 1-0 to win their group in a game that seemed more about jockeying for position since both had already qualified to move on. And as group play wrapped up, Tunisia overcame the tournament's record ninth own-goal for a 2-1 comeback win — its first World Cup victory in 40 years — and send World Cup first-timers Panama home with a third defeat.
1 / 11
Poland's Bartosz Bereszynski, front, is challenged by Japan's Gaku Shibasaki during the group H match between Japan and Poland at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
2 / 11
Japan's Gaku Shibasaki, right, hits the face of Poland's Jacek Goralski as they jump to head the ball during the group H match between Japan and Poland at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
3 / 11
Japan's Shinji Okazaki and Takashi Inui, right, wave to the stands at the end of the group H match between Japan and Poland at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
4 / 11
Colombia's Yerry Mina kicks the ball during the group H match between Senegal and Colombia, at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Samara Arena in Samara, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
5 / 11
Colombia's Luis Muriel, foreground, and Senegal's Lamine Gassama challenge for the ball during the group H match between Senegal and Colombia, at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Samara Arena in Samara, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
6 / 11
Colombia's Radamel Falcao, center, jumps for the ball with Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly, right, and Senegal's Youssouf Sabaly, left, during the group H match between Senegal and Colombia, at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Samara Arena in Samara, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
7 / 11
England's Ashley Young, left, and Belgium's Marouane Fellaini challenge for the ball during the group G match between England and Belgium at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kaliningrad Stadium in Kaliningrad, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
8 / 11
England's Jamie Vardy vies for the ball with Belgium's Thomas Vermaelen, right, during the group G match between England and Belgium at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kaliningrad Stadium in Kaliningrad, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
9 / 11
Belgium's Adnan Januzaj celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the group G match between England and Belgium at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kaliningrad Stadium in Kaliningrad, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
10 / 11
Panama's Roman Torres celebrates after an own goal by Tunisia's Yassine Meriah during the group G match between Panama and Tunisia at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
11 / 11
Panama's Roman Torres, left, and Tunisia's Fakhreddine Ben Youssef compete for a ball during the group G match between Panama and Tunisia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Mordovia Arena in Saransk, Russia, Thursday, June 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
