This is a game that "tainted" the World Cup.
Japan reached the last 16 despite a 1-0 defeat by Poland, as Colombia beat Senegal by the same score in the group's other match.

But that does not tell the whole story.
What REALLY happened?

Japan and Senegal came into their final games level on points, goal difference and goals scored. Were that still the case at full-time, fair play would decide which team finished highest. Senegal had five bookings in their first two games to Japan's three.

When both sides fell 1-0 down - and having been shown one yellow card apiece - Japan were on course to qualify. But they knew a second goal by Poland, who were already eliminated, or two bookings or a red card could knock them out.

So, with about 10 minutes to go, they decided to stick rather than twist - gambling on Senegal not eliminating them by scoring an equaliser against Colombia.

Despite having attacking players such as Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa on their bench, Japan brought on midfielder Makoto Hasebe, their captain, for forward Yoshinori Muto and sat deep.

They passed the ball around their defence and midfield when they had it, never crossing the halfway by more than a few yards. They let Poland - for whom this was a first win of the tournament - play in non-dangerous areas.

The crowd booed and whistled - just as they had 36 years ago when the 'Disgrace of Gijon' eliminated Algeria. Following that controversy back then, group stages were changed so the games finished at the same time.

After the game in Volgograd ended, Japan's players, manager and fans had to wait for about a minute to get confirmation their gamble had paid off, Senegal had not scored and they were through to face Belgium.

What did people say about the match?

Japan coach Akira Nishino said "it was a very tough decision".

"We did not go for victory but we just relied on the other match," he said. "That was slightly regrettable but I suppose at that point I didn't have any other plans.

"I am really not happy about how we played but... we wanted to go through to the round of 16 and we have, and that is the only salvation that I get."

Nishino said he passed on instructions when he sent on midfielder Hasebe - no risks and no yellow cards.

"What if we conceded another goal and it was 2-0?" he said. "We went through. Therefore perhaps it was the right decision."

Japan, on the left, did not enter Poland's final third once. Poland's two touches in the box were a blocked Artur Jedrzejczyk header in the 82nd minute - the final incident of note in the game - and a header from a long throw-in.


That was embarrassing the way the teams went about that final 10 minutes. It was everything we don't want to see in the World Cup. It turned into a shame.


It really set the tone for the last five or six minutes of the game. Both teams sat back and didn't really want to press the ball. It fizzled into a really poor ending.


There has to be a better way of settling a table in the World Cup. It should be on goals in qualification because that is the most important thing in football. Anyone can get booked.
It is actually embarrassing on Fifa.

After a Japanese player did a stepover with no Polish player near him We shouldn't laugh but it was becoming an absolute shame. The ref is waving, what's he waving at? He can't make them play. They were breaking no rules


This leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. It must be a horrible way to go out of a World Cup. It's a disgrace.
It's been a marvellous World Cup. It's just been a bit tainted by Poland and Japan doing that.


But looking at from another angle,
If they didn't get away with it, you'd laugh at them and say it serves you right. They took a gambler's chance.
I never like to see a game of football played like that. But had they gone forward and conceded again - and gone out, they'd be called naive and stupid.

This is why they play the final group games concurrently. They're not running. Two Japanese players are just rolling the ball to each other - there's no Polish player within 15 yards.

The risk Japan took here is bringing this game to a halt. If Senegal had scored, Japan were out and they'd have wasted all that time. They've gone through on fair play. But can you call that fair play? Is that the spirit of the competition?


I have to search and create the thread due to popular demand.
Sport section moderators......over to you guys!

I would have done the same if I was the Japanese coach.
Why risk conceding another goal an injury or a card when the Poles were happy with the result?


And if it was The Super Eagles that did this against Argentina and the match ended 1:1.
We would have been so happy and applaud our boys.
They broke no rules.

Ok

Most EPL teams play in to the corners for the last 5 to protect a lead, what is the difference? They did what was required until that point then killed the game, not pretty but it worked.

Teams in the CL do it all the time. Maybe not to that degree but they do run the ball into the corner and hold it there with out attacking and they get told great tactics.

So what did FIFA expect? They’ve made the rule and it’s their bed to lie in.

I wish we could have one voice towards boycotting the WC. Let's face afcon.

Caseless:
I wish we could have one voice towards boycotting the WC. Let's face afcon.

This World Cup edition took Africa back 40 years.
What a shame!

In 1990, a lot of matches ended with a low scoreline due to back pass time wasting tactics. Hence after 1990, gk were no longer allowed to received a back pass with their hands.

The only thing Fifa can do to eradicate this type of delay tactics is to eliminate all form of communication means while the game is ongoing.

post=68949179:

This World Cup edition took Africa back 40 years.
What a shame!

I managed to escape the pain of our exit by holding that Senegal scales through, but they fell to fair play.


I wish we brave up and say "NO" to WC. We deserve some respect as a continent.

Caseless:
I managed to escape the pain of our exit by holding that Senegal scales through, but they fell to fair play.


I wish we brave up and say "NO" to WC. We deserve some respect as a continent.

It was so sad.
They all fell like a bunch of cards.
Africa my continent

femi4:
In 1990, a lot of matches ended with a low scoreline due to back pass time wasting tactics. Hence after 1990, gk were no longer allowed to received a back pass with their hands.

The only thing Fifa can do to eradicate this type of delay tactics is to eliminate all form of communication means while the game is ongoing.

That will be a good way too, but too many rules will not make football interesting anymore.

To me the most embarrassing world cup match is the Disgrace of Gijon btw West Germany & Austria. Anyway something needs to be done about getting out of a world cup competition by fair play, head to head maybe? I don't know. Also there's basically no difference btwn what the Japanese did and the England show of shame vs Belgium, they literally turned the match to a friendly all in a bid to come out second so as to have an easier route to the semis.

AdorableJosh:
To me the most embarrassing world cup match is the Disgrace of Gijon btw West Germany & Austria. Anyway something needs to be done about getting out of a world cup competition by fair play, head to head maybe? I don't know. Also there's basically no difference btwn what the Japanese did and the England show of shame vs Belgium, they literally turned the match to a friendly all in a bid to come out second so as to have an easier route to the semis.

There is no other way. Both methods are very fair.

Senegal were unfortunate to miss out.

African teams didn't fair very bad. We just lack the concentration to go all the way.

Short clips of the last 6 minutes would have been very appropriate

joey150:

There is no other way. Both methods are very fair.

Senegal were unfortunate to miss out.

African teams didn't fair very bad. We just lack the concentration to go all the way.

Senegal was the best among the qualified African teams which makes it more unfortunate that they had to go out like that, but going out on the number of yellow cards received is a hard pill to swallow. I sha hope African football would have improved before 2022 although I doubt it.

I see nothing bad to waste time..

AdorableJosh:



Senegal was the best among the qualified African teams which makes it more unfortunate that they had to go out like that, but going out on the number of yellow cards received is a hard pill to swallow. I sha hope African football would have improved before 2022 although I doubt it.

It sounds fair to me - the yellow card rule.

It's not a first or second option, it's the third option. So teams should remember to always play fair.

Who cares Belguim has already qualified....

AdorableJosh:
To me the most embarrassing world cup match is the Disgrace of Gijon btw West Germany & Austria. Anyway something needs to be done about getting out of a world cup competition by fair play, head to head maybe? I don't know. Also there's basically no difference btwn what the Japanese did and the England show of shame vs Belgium, they literally turned the match to a friendly all in a bid to come out second so as to have an easier route to the semis.

England deliberately lost to Belgium so that they ll have easier route to the final from quarter final. Nice strategy to avoid the likes of Brazil. I hope it backfires by the time Colombia deal with them

blessedvisky:
Short clips of the last 6 minutes would have been very appropriate

Unfortunately, you can't get that here.

My brother forget....Japan must cary the world cut

femi4:
England deliberately lost to Belgium so that they ll have easier route to the final from quarter final. Nice strategy to avoid the likes of Brazil. I hope it backfires by the time Colombia deal with them

Lool, it'll be poetic.

Football Is not For Africans (FIFA)

AdorableJosh:



Senegal was the best among the qualified African teams which makes it more unfortunate that they had to go out like that, but going out on the number of yellow cards received is a hard pill to swallow. I sha hope African football would have improved before 2022 although I doubt it.

I will go with Morocco, they were just unfortunate to find themselves in the same group with giants like Spain and Portugal.

If you watched their last game against Spain, you will know they were the best African team in this tournament...

their losses were very narrow, mostly 1goal margin and would have beaten Spain if not that they were robbed.

abeg make dem live Japan alone, it was simply a strategy, a strategy that broke no rule. Japan can't please everyone or play to entertain at their own expense, they need to qualify. If they are holding the ball too much, go and tackle them and collect it. If they were knocked out trying to play entertaining football, will you plead with fifa to bring them to the round to 16?

The most embarrassing was the match quoted below

The single World Cup match with the greatest number of red cards was the Portugal-Netherlands game in the second round of the 2006 World Cup, this match also known as "The battle of Nuremberg". 4 players, 2 from each team, were sent off; overall referee Valentin Ivanov dished out 16 yellow cards and 4 red cards, the greatest number of players booked and sent off in any one match.

enemmo:
The most embarrassing was the match quoted below

The single World Cup match with the greatest number of red cards was the Portugal-Netherlands game in the second round of the 2006 World Cup, this match also known as "The battle of Nuremberg". 4 players, 2 from each team, were sent off; overall referee Valentin Ivanov dished out 16 yellow cards and 4 red cards, the greatest number of players booked and sent off in any one match.

Lol nah. That match was too sweet. One of the funniest and most entertaining matches I ever watched as a kid

Guidette:

Lol nah. That match was too sweet. One of the funniest and most entertaining matches I ever watched as a kid

I'm telling you oh.

Too much drama.

Guidette:

Lol nah. That match was too sweet. One of the funniest and most entertaining matches I ever watched as a kid

One of the most memorable match of all times!

Hhenryy:


I will go with Morocco, they were just unfortunate to find themselves in the same group with giants like Spain and Portugal.

If you watched their last game against Spain, you will know they were the best African team in this tournament...

their losses were very narrow, mostly 1goal margin and would have beaten Spain if not that they were robbed.

You call two teams that couldn't make it past Round of 16 Giants? I laugh in Russian! Agreed the two teams have some distinguished footballers and rich history, but they both were poor in this world cup. They also struggled with Iran too