Senegal and Japan played out an entertaining 2-2 draw as both sides moved onto four points in Group G.
Below are four talking points from the game.
Contrast of styles on display
Group G always looked like the most open and intriguing section of the first round draw, partly because there was no clear favourite but also because it featured four teams from different confederations. Sunday afternoon’s encounter in Yekaterinburg pitted an African side against an Asian nation, and there was a contrast of styles on display.
Senegal immediately pushed forward at the start of the game, with Ismaila Sarr’s direct running on the right flank causing particular problems. The Lions of Teranga had the physical edge on their opponents and looked to use it to their advantage, moving the ball out wide and attempting to hit Japan on the counter-attack.
The Samurai Blue, conversely, played through midfield and looked to dominate possession, circulating the ball patiently and looking for gaps in the Senegalese rearguard. In the end, a point apiece felt like a fair result.
Japan start slow but finish strongly
For the second match in a row, Japan started slowly but finished strongly. That may sound like a strange statement given they took the lead against Colombia inside five minutes, but they let that game drift for the remainder of the opening half before eventually asserting control after the interval.
Akira Nishino’s men were similarly slow out of the traps here, but their possession play gradually took hold and they were the better team in the second half. Had Yuya Osako not spurned a golden opportunity when the scores were level at 1-1, Japan could be on six points ahead of their final encounter against Poland.
Good game, that.
#JPNSEN
Niang a handful up front for Senegal
M’Baye Niang has had his fair share of ups and downs in recent times, but he was excellent for Senegal on this occasion. The Milan man spent much of the 2017/18 season on the left wing on loan at Torino, but he was selected through the middle by national team boss Aliou Cisse for the second game running.
Senegal employed a 4-4-2 formation against Poland last time out, with Niang paired up front by Mame Biram Diouf. Cisse shifted to a 4-3-3 setup for this match and the 23-year-old was tasked with leading the line alone, a role he fulfilled admirably. Niang caused problems with his speed and movement, while his touch and hold-up play were also excellent.
Japan captain Hasebe rolls back the years
Makoto Hasebe has won over 100 caps for his country and remains a mainstay of this Japan side at the age of 34. He was terrific against Senegal on Sunday, screening his back four in a deep-lying midfield role and covering brilliantly for his defenders.
He was also integral to Japan’s build-up play, dropping into a right-sided centre-back role as his side looked to progress the ball up the pitch. He read the game well and battled hard against a strong Senegalese outfit, and was key to a hard-earned point which leaves the Samurai Blue just one point away from the round of 16.