• Sadio Mane scored in the 12th minute to give Senegal a 1-0 lead over Japan.
• Refresh here for live World Cup updates and analysis from Yekaterinburg.
• The Times is covering every 2018 World Cup game live. Go here for all of our coverage.
How to watch: In the U.S., Fox and Telemundo have the broadcast at 11 a.m., but you can stream it here.
20’: Japan’s Free Kick Goes Nowhere
Japan, like Poland in the first game, is having some success attacking down Senegal’s right (where they start a nineteen-year old at right back). Inui wins a free-kick in a dangerous area, and although it doesn’t come too much, going down the flanks seems to be a better bet than trying to play through Senegal’s midfield.
15’: Japan Gets a Shot Off
Japan have their first real strong moment. One of Senegal’s central defenders pushes up to try to make an interception. He succeeds but immediately gives the ball away, giving Japan a slight number advantage in attack. It ends with a strong Makoto Hasebe long-range shot that gets blocked in the box.
15’: Senegal Keeps Tackling
M’Baye Niang with a sloppy tackle that almost draws a card from Gianluca Rocchi. Japan will take a free kick near the side line.
Japan are having a hard time finding any kind of rhythm in the opening stages. The open spaces that were present against Colombia just don’t exist against a fast and energetic 11-man Senegalese team.
12’: GOAL! Sadio Mane Gives Senegal a 1-0 Lead
And it’s a well deserved goal for Senegal. The right back Wague crosses, it goes all the way through to the left back Sabaly. His shot is saved, but Sadio Mane is in the right place to put in the rebound.
There are times for a goalkeeper to punch a ball away and that was NOT one of those times. Senegal 1-0
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) June 24, 2018
9’: Senegal Gets Physical
Senegal’s press is not just energetic, but physical. Nine minutes in and they’ve already collected three fouls. Free kick to Japan.
8’: Japan’s Defense Holds
Another moment of danger from Senegal, as Youssouf Sabaly gets to the touchline, but his cross goes straight to Japan’s goalie Eiji Kawashima.
6’: Sabaly Goes High
Youssouf Sabaly controls a rebound and fires one well over the bar.
3’: Sadio Mane Scares Japan
Mane almost gets his toe on a dangerous cross in the area, but Senegal comes up empty.
Senegal has made their intentions clear here in the first few minutes. When Japan is in possession, Senegal is pressing high, trying to make sure the Japanese midfield does not get into a passing rhythm. In attack they seem to be targeting Japan’s left back Yuto Nagatomo. It’s worked early, with two corners won and that cross that Mane just could not control.
Kickoff!
And we’re off! Japan is in blue, and Senegal wears white.
Weather in Yekaterinburg is perfect, 75 degrees and sunny. The roughly thirty-five thousand person stadium looks to be full, and sounds like a number of fans have brought vuvuzelas, adding to the already energetic atmosphere.
What to Expect
On Tuesday, Senegal played with two pure strikers as they allowed Poland to have 60% of possession and looked to counter-attack off of mistakes. Today they start with an extra midfielder in Ndiaye, suggesting that they expect to have more possession.
On the other hand, Japan is going with what worked the first time, though they’ll have to do it against 11 players instead of the 10 that Colombia ended up with. The first few minutes should make it clear what each team is trying to do in terms of tactics.
Senegal’s Starting Lineup
Just one change for Senegal, as Mame Biram Diouf makes way for Badou Ndiaye.
16 Khadim N’Diaye (GK)
22. Moussa Wague
6. Salif Sane
3. Kalidou Koulibaly
12. Youssouf Sabaly
5. Idrissa Gana Gueye
13. Alfred N’Diaye
17. Badou Ndiaye
10. Sadio Mane
18. Ismaila Sarr
19. M’Baye Niang
Japan’s Starting Lineup
Japan lines up with the same squad that started against Colombia on Tuesday.
1. Eiji Kawashima (GK)
19. Hiroki Sakai
22. Maya Yoshida
3. Gen Shoji
5. Yuto Nagatomo
17. Makoto Hasebe
7. Gaku Shibasaki
8. Genki Haraguchi
10. Shinji Kagawa
14. Takashi Inui
15. Yuya Osako
Players to Watch
• Japan’s Shinji Okazaki, who plays for Leicester in England, was unable to start the game against Colombia because of a calf injury but did come on as a late substitute. If he’s healthy enough to star this time, Japan will look to him as the main goalscoring threat. In midfield, Shinji Kagawa of Borussia Dortmund will continue pulling the strings of the attack.
• Senegal will look to Sadia Mane of Liverpool to be their main attacking threat, while Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli, one of the best central defenders in Europe, will anchor the defense that managed to keep Poland scoreless until the last moments of their opening round match.
Graphic
Video Review at the World Cup Is Resulting in More Goals From Penalty Kicks
The video-assistant-referee system has led to a higher percentage of penalty-kick goals than in each previous tournament.
Pregame Reading
Aliou Cissé was once a World Cup player for Senegal. Now he is one of two native African coaches in the World Cup, and he has Senegal off to a fine start. Read Christopher Clarey’s piece here.
Japan vs. Senegal Top Story Lines
• Senegal beat Poland, 2-0, after M’Baye Niang came back onto the field after an injury and immediately took advantage of a miscommunication between Poland’s goalkeeper and a defender to put the ball into an open net.
• No one will accuse Senegal of not having fun at this World Cup. Their goal celebrations during the victory over Poland went viral in a hurry:
Let's dance, bro. #senegal #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/jLyq7cZ2oR
— Mr.Hunt (@ethanhunt08xx) June 19, 2018
• In an even bigger upset, Japan beat Colombia, 2-1, after a Colombian defender was sent off in only the third minute for stopping a Japanese shot with his hand (which you are, you know, not allowed to do).
• Japan’s victory over Colombia was the first time an Asian team beat a South American team in the World Cup.
• Japan is in its sixth straight World Cup, but has never been considered much of a favorite. That win over Colombia was a huge step forward.
• What’s at stake? Poland and Colombia play later today, so we can say nothing definitely. However, a win for either team here will make it highly likely that they qualify for the knockout stages. Japan has reached the round of 16 in both 2002 and 2010, losing both times, while Senegal made it through to the quarterfinals in 2002.
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