Welcome to the first game of Group H for both sides as they open their group in the 2018 Brazil World Cup. My name is Daniel Lambert and I’ll be covering the game for you.
The line-ups for both sides are as follows:
Colombia- David Ospina, Santiago Arias, Davidson Sanchez, Oscar Murillo, Johan Mojica, Jefferson Lerma, Carlos Sanchez, Juan Cuadrado, Juan Quintero, Jose Izquierdo, Radamel Falcao.
Japan- Eiji Kawashimi, Yuto Nagatomo, Gen Shoji, Maya Yoshida, Hiroki Sakai, Gaku Shibasaki, Makoto Hasebe, Takashi Inui, Shinji Kagawa, Genki Haraguchi, Yuku Osako.
1′ And we’re off as Japan and Osako get the game underway.
3′ RED CARD! Carlos Sanchez sees red early on. Japan hit Colombia on a quick counter attack as Osako is through on goal 1v1. Ospina saves and Kagawa is there to connect with the rebound towards an open goal. Swiftly after the connection Sanchez throws himself at the ball and the referee awards a straight red. Colombia find themselves in a difficult position already!
Embed from Getty Images6′ GOALLLLL!!!! (Colombia 0-1 Japan) Shinji Kagawa opens the account for Japan as they lead through the penalty spot as he slots straight down the middle past Ospina.
Embed from Getty Images12‘ Hasebe bundles Cuadrado to the floor. Colombia want a yellow card issued; they’ll be hoping to level up the teams if at all possible. The resulting free kick, just in front of the centre circle, nearly leads to a goal: Quintero lifts the ball forward for Falcao, who sticks out a leg and tries to guide the ball into the bottom right.
15′ Japan nearly take a two-goal lead. Kagawa jumps on some slack Colombian play in the midfield, and powers towards the box. He’s got Inui free, in acres, coming in from the left. Inui opens his body and tries to steer a low shot across a static Ospina and into the bottom right. But the ball bobbles wide of the post.
20′ Izquierdo battles well in the midfield and sets Cuadrado off towards goal. He’s just about to pull the trigger on the edge of the box, when Shibasaki tracks back to make a stunning saving tackle. This is a really nice open game. Colombia have clearly decided to just go for it.
24′ Haraguchi wins a corner for Japan out on the right. It’s worked back to Inui, who hooks the ball into the mixer. Yoshida, who has come up looking to cause bother, is penalised for shoving.
31′ A tactical switch by Colombia: Wilmar Barrios comes on to bolster the midfield … and surprisingly, it’s Cuadrado who makes way.
34′ Quintero and Falcao combine, and Falcao does well to connect to the ball dropping over his shoulder but can only poke it straight at Kawashima.
39′ GOALLLLL! (Columbia 1-1 Japan) This is a wonderful piece of improvisation! Quintero takes the free kick. He waits for the wall to jump, and rolls the ball underneath it, trundling the ball towards the bottom right. Kawashima thinks he’s saved it on the line, but it’s clearly gone over. What a wonder goal!
Embed from Getty ImagesHT Colombia 1-1 Japan– And that’s that for the first half. It’s been superb fun. Colombia responded brilliantly to going a man and a goal down so early; they’ve been the better team so far. It promises to be a cracking second half.
45′ Colombia get the second half underway.
48′ Nagatomo looks up for it. He tears down the left again, reaching the byline at speed and whipping a cross into the centre. Murillo heads clear under pressure from Osako.
54′ Kagawa slips a pass down the inside-left channel for Osako. He spins Davinson Sanchez and is one on one with Ospina, albeit from a tight angle. He shoots low and hard. Ospina parries.
59′ A free kick for Japan out on the right. They load the box. But before it can be taken, Colombia make another surprising substitution: Quintero is replaced by … James Rodriguez, who was supposed to be unfit. Could this be a risk?
61′ The busy Shibasaki finds Sakai in acres of space on the right. Sakai strides into the box and unleashes a low hard shot across the face of goal. It’s harmless. He apologises to Osako in the middle.
64′ Barrios is booked for managing to stand on Kagawa’s toe from behind.
68′ It’s all Japan right now. But it’s sterile possession. Inui tries to step it up and causes momentary bedlam in the Colombian box after dribbling down the left. But he can’t get a shot away.
70′ A change for Japan, as Kagawa is replaced by Keisuke Honda. Then Colombia make a switch, hooking Izquierdo and sending on Carlos Bacca.
73′ GOALLL! (Colombia 1-2 Japan) Honda takes from the left. Osako rises highest, getting the better of Arias, and flicks a header into the top right corner! Ospina, having got back on his line after a brief walkabout, was rooted to the spot. So simple!
Embed from Getty Images80′ Hotaru Yamaguchi comes on for Shibasaki.
85′ Osako is replaced by Shinji Okazaki of Leicester City.
86′ James Rodriguez is booked for a late lunge on Haraguchi. A frustrated clip on the ankles.
90′ There will be five added minutes.
90+3′ Colombia are on the attack. But then Arias needlessly shoves Inui in the back, and the pressure is off.
FT Colombia 1-2 Japan! The red card cost Colombia in the end. Unfancied Japan are off to a flier!
Thanks for joining me for the opening Group H game in Russia. Underdogs Japan have put one foot in the group stages so far in giving them a chance to qualify for the knockout stages, whilst for Colombia they have it all still to do.
