Japan lose to Poland as Bednarek scores, still enter RO16 on fair play; 0-1

Full time analysis: Japan vs Poland will be considered as one of the most comical matches of Fifa World Cup 2018. Japan even after losing the match qualified for the Round of 16 because of fair play guidelines as they share the same points, goal difference and goals scored with Senegal who bow out of the World Cup. The fair play score is given on the basis of yellow cards and red cards awarded to the team. 

The game had two diverse halves. The first half was boring without any intent. 

Japan vs Poland was the last match from a tough group H, where almost all the teams except Poland are eligible to qualify for the knockouts. The stakes were high for Japan who were the only Asian country to commence to the next round. But, the Japanese are played in a very slow tempo without any purpose for the goal.

There had been chances for both the teams no doubt but the consistency of possession and attacking is missing for both the teams. Japan played the game in the back foot because they were thinking too much about their qualification.  

The game felt like 22 Sisyphus playing, without any intent for a goal where players are just running.

However, in the 2nd half, the Polish came with a purpose. They were attacking in numbers and looked direct with their passing. Thus, in the 59th minute they opened their scoring with a volley from Bednarek. 

After the goal, the Japanese lost their mojo and never really came back to the game. The only thing the did well was their defending as they avoided to concede another goal. Although there was an easy chance for Lewandowski who rocketed it above the goal post.

There has not been a goal scored by a player from Bayern Munich at this Fifa World Cup.

In the knockouts, the Blue Samurais will now face either Belgium or England.

Updates: 

77 min:As things stand Japan may go into the next round on fairplay as Colombia have scored against Senegal

59 min: J. Bednarek scores from an assist from Kurzawa.

Trivia: There has not been a goal scored by a player from Bayern Munich at this Fifa World Cup

Eight of Poland's last 10 World Cup goals have come from set-piece situations, including each of their last five in a row. 

Halftime analysis: Japan vs Poland is the last match from a tough group H, where almost all the teams except Poland are eligible to qualify for the knockouts. The stakes are high for Japan who could be the only Asian country to commence to the next round. But, the Japanese are playing in a very slow tempo without any purpose for the goal. 

There has been chances for both the teams no doubt but the consistency of possesion and attacking is missing for both the teams. Japan are giving way too much respect to a team which only has Lewandowski.

The game feels like 22 Sisyphus playing, without any intent for a goal where players are just running

The second half is all set for the Blue Samarais to score some goals and get their campaign going for the knockouts. 
 

Updates: 

40 min: The game feels like 22 Sisyphus playing, without any intent for goal where players are just running

30 Min: The game has been dull so far and needs a bright moment in the form of a goal

20 min: Poland continue to be sloppy with the ball and they have not got going properly. 

10min: Japan have enjoyed most of the possesion in the initial minutes of the game.

1min: The kick-off is underway 

Trivia: Only in 2002 (5) have Japan scored more goals in a single World Cup tournament than the four they've scored so far in 2018.

Poland haven't kept a clean sheet in a World Cup match since beating Portugal 1-0 in 1986, conceding 23 goals in their 10 games since then. 

Line-ups: 

Poland subs: Wojciech Szczesny, Bartosz Bialkowski, Maciej Rybus, Dawid Kownacki, Karol Linetty, Lukasz Teodorczyk, Michal Pazdan, Lukasz Piszczek, Arkadiusz Milik, Slawomir Peszko, Thiago Cionek, Jakub Blaszczykowski.
 

Japan subs: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Kosuke Nakamura, Genki Haraguchi, Keisuke Honda, Yuyu Osako, Naomichi Ueda, Takashi Inui, Wataru Endo, Gen Shoji, Makoto Hasebe, Shinji Kagawa, Ryota Oshima.
 

Poland XI: Lukasz Fabianski; Bartosz Bereszynski, Kamil Glik, Jan Bednarek, Artur Jedrzejczyk; Grzegorz Krychowiak, Jacek Goralski; Kamil Grosicki, Piotr Zielinski, Rafal Kurzawa; Robert Lewandowski.
 

Japan XI: Eiji Kawashima; Gotoku Sakai, Hiroki Sakai, Maya Yoshida, Tomoaki Makino, Yuto Nagatomo; Yoshinori Muto, Hotaru Yamaguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Takashi Usami; Shinji Okazaki.

Japan are the only Asian side to reach the knockout stages of the World Cup since they and South Korea did so when they hosted the tournament in 2002.

Japan have impressed so far in Russia with a 2-1 win over Colombia and a 2-2 draw in an entertaining match against Senegal.

The Japanese will be favourites against Poland, who have lost their two matches and have no chance of reaching the last 16.

Japan vs Poland: Japan have only played Poland twice in the last 22 years, beating them 5-0 in February 1996 and 2-0 in March 2002, but they will be wary of the fact they have failed to score in four of their last World Cup games against European opposition.

The last time they scored against European opponents was in a 3-1 win over Denmark in 2010.

What are they saying?

"Although we earned four points in two matches, we haven't accomplished anything yet. The next match will be the deciding match. We must go into the game with the aim of getting all three points and (focussing) our performance," Japan captain Makoto Hasebe said.

Hasebe insists it would be dangerous for Japan to be over-confident against the Poles.

"I don't think we can go into the game looking for a draw," he said, explaining that a win would help continue their momentum for a last-16 tie against Belgium or England.

Meanwhile, Poland winger Kamil Grosiki admits their time in Russia has been a struggle, but they must try and recover some pride in their final game after losing 2-1 to Senegal, before being totally outplayed by the Colombians.

"We couldn't even get the ball off Colombia, never mind counter against them. We've disappointed everyone, including ourselves. We came here with high hopes and huge dreams. Now we're playing the last match just for honour," Grosiki said.

In Poland, there has always been a respect there for Japan national team, as well as the country in general. The people are considered to be hard working, and a nation that never gives up. And now, due to results of both teams, many Poles see Japan as favourite for this game. In a poll I ran on Twitter, most of 1,862 voters foresaw Japan winning today. Only 19 per cent opted for Poland, 16 per cent thinking it would end all square in Volgograd.

At the press conference on the eve of the game, Jakub Błaszczykowski not only spoke positively about fans at the tournament, but journalists, too. "I would like to say thank you to the fans as they have supported us greatly both in qualifiers and here in the finals. But I would also like to say thank you to the journalists who have been covering our games. Very often you even sacrifice your private time to follow the national team, to write about us. I appreciate that".

Kuba also spoke about Japan playmaker and former team-mate Shinji Kagawa. "I played with him at Borussia Dortmund and it was a great time. Shinji is an excellent player with amazing technical skill. He moves quickly, he knows where to be at the right moment and he anticipates the game a lot. It was pure pleasure to play with him."

Japan 23-man final squad:

Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Metz), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka), Kosuke Nakamura (Kashiwa Reysol)

Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (Galatasaray), Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Reds), Wataru Endo (Urawa Reds), Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Hiroki Sakai (Marseille), Gotoku Sakai (Hamburg), Gen Shoji (Kashima Antlers), Naomichi Ueda (Kashima Antlers)

Midfielders: Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt), Keisuke Honda (Pachuca), Takashi Inui (Eibar), Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka), Genki Haraguchi (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Takashi Usami (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Gaku Shibasaki (Getafe), Ryota Oshima (Kawasaki Frontale)

Forwards: Shinji Okazaki (Leicester), Yuya Osako (Werder Bremen), Yoshinori Muto (Mainz)

Poland's final 23-man list is:

Goalkeepers: Bartosz Bialkowski (Ipswich), Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea) and Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus)

Defenders: Jan Bednarek (Southampton), Bartosz Bereszynski (Sampdoria), Thiago Cionek (SPAL), Marcin Kaminski (Stuttgart), Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund), Artur Jedrzejczyk and Michal Pazdan (both Legia Warsaw)

Midfielders: Jakub Blaszczykowski (Wolfsburg), Jacek Goralski (Ludogorets), Kamil Grosicki (Hull City), Grzegorz Krychowiak (West Bromwich Albion), Rafal Kurzawa (Gornik Zabrze), Karol Linetty (Sampdoria), Slawomir Peszko (Lechia Gdansk), Maciej Rybus (Lokomotiv Moscow) and Piotr Zielinski (Napoli)

Forwards: Dawid Kownacki (Sampdoria), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli), Lukasz Teodorczyk (Anderlecht)

When and Where to watch: Japan vs Poland

Time: 7:30 PM (IST)

In today's Group H match, the second match of Group H, Japan vs Poland, will be played in Volgograd Arena on Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 7:30 PM (IST).

Japan vs Poland matches will be broadcast on Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 2 HD, Sony Six and Sony Six HD in English Commentary and Sony Ten 3 and Sony 3 HD in Hindi Commentary.

Japan vs Poland matches will be available for live streaming on Sony Liv also. And Both Airtel and Jio would broadcast the FIFA World Cup 2018 matches for free to their respective subscribers.

Japan conceded fewer fouls (28) at the 2018 WorldCup than any other country with 3 games played.