By Anna Italia
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42% Ball Possession COLOMBIA and 58% Ball Possession JAPAN

    Colombia 1 – 2 Japan

39′ Juan Carlos Quintero                         6′ Shinji Kagawa (PEN)
.                                                                         73′ Yuya Osako

Colombia losing the game while Japan win the FIFA World Cup First Stage Group H game on Tuesday 19 June, 2018 at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk, Russia. The qualification is at risk for Colombia and must win the second game to gain momentum. The attendance was 40,842.  Next games will be Poland vs Colombia and Japan vs Senegal on 24 June.

After the first round, FIFA World Cup First Stage Group H Standing states:

Japan in the 1st position with 3 points and a positive goal difference of +1, Senegal in the 2nd position with 3 points and a positive goal difference of +1, Poland in the 3rd position with 0 points and a negative goal difference of -1, and Colombia in the 4th position with 0 points and a negative goal difference of -1.

And after today’s results, Group H looks like this…

1) #JPN
2) #SEN
3) #POL
4) #COL #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/GRHNBY8ga4

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

Here is the situation, my friends.  Simply put, Colombia started the match with the wrong foot.   Suddenly, the dream turning into a nightmare.   Referee Damir Skomina from Slovenia gave a straight red card to Colombia defender Sánchez in the 3rd minute after a handball inside the penalty area.  Colombia remained for the rest of the game with 10 players, an uphill battle.  By the way, this is the first red card in this World Cup tournament. Japan taking the lead in the 6th minute with the penalty converted by Shiniji Kagawa defeating Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina with a right footed shot all the way to the center.

#JPN #JPN #JPN

The perfect start for @jfa_samuraiblue! #COLJPN pic.twitter.com/jhsoLnBHx6

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

Colombia shortening the distance in the 39th minute with Juan Quintero defeating Japan goalkeeper with a left footed free kick shot in the bottom right corner.

#COL #COL #COL #COL

It’s proving to be quite the match in Saransk! #COLJPN pic.twitter.com/iND9W3af6O

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

The joy not lasting for long, Japan scored the winner goal in the 73rd minute. It is Yuya Osako to defeat goalkeeper Ospina from close range with a headed shot in the bottom right corner. The assist is by the ex-AC Milan player Keisuke Honda.

Here is COLOMBIA official starting lineup – formation by Head Coach Jose Pekerman:

COLOMBIA (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Arias, Murillo, D. Sánchez, Mojica; Lerma, C. Sánchez; J. Cuadrado, Quintero, Izquierdo; Falcao.

Here is JAPAN official starting lineup – formation by Head Coach Nishino:

JAPAN (4-2-3-1): Kawashima; H. Sakai, Yoshida, Shōji, Nagatomo; Hasebe, Shibasaki; Haraguchi, Kagawa, Inui; Ōsako.
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Italian Serie A players called up among the 23-man World Cup squads

Japan National team: No Serie A players.

Colombia National team: 2 Italian Serie A players AC Milan defender Cristian Zapata and Juventus midfielder Juan Cuadrado.

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Complete the caption:

The team that will win #COLJPN will be ________ pic.twitter.com/lw21r1LyQk

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

TEAM NEWS | #COLJPN

Here are the Starting XIs…#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/86LFG2Ssjv

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

Les presentamos el 1⃣1⃣ titular de la Selección Colombia que enfrentará a Japón.#MiCorazónTricolor #Rusia2018 pic.twitter.com/qDO8rH2OMJ

— Selección Colombia (@FCFSeleccionCol) June 19, 2018

The teams have arrived in Saransk!

Where are you watching #COLJPN?

TV listings ? https://t.co/xliHcxWvEO

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

#MiCorazónTricolor

Excited to begin, #COL fans? #COLJPN pic.twitter.com/Sxhd4GJcuX

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

?? Keep an eye out for “El Cole” amongst the crowd at #COLJPN ?

Gustavo Llanos has become an unofficial mascot for his team, donning colourful
costumes to represent Colombia’s national symbol – the condor.

In our collection we have one of his hats from the 2014 #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/otLCcOfoD5

— FIFA Museum (@FIFAMuseum) June 19, 2018

Key stats from #COLJPN:

? The first #WorldCup victory for a team from @theafcdotcom against a South American nation

? Yuyo Osaka’s goal was the eighth headed goal at the 2018 FIFA #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/qLTFkwsiJM

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

A great crowd ?#COLJPN pic.twitter.com/7I9TeK1oec

— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018

2018 FIFA World Cup
First stage – Group H

Colombia 1 – 2 Japan
Tuesday 19 June 2018
Mordovia Arena
Saransk, Russia

15:00

Referee: Damir SKOMINA (SVN)
Assistant Referee 1: Jure PRAPROTNIK (SVN)
Assistant Referee 2: Robert VUKAN (GER)
Fourth official: ABID CHAREF Mehdi (ALG)
Video Assistant Referee: MAKKELIE Danny (CUW)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1: VAN ROEKEL Sander (NED)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2: Bastian DANKERT (GER)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee 3: Felix ZWAYER (GER)

Goals: 6′ Shinji Kagawa (PEN)(J), 39′ Juan Carlos Quintero (C), 73’Yuya Osako (J)

Official lineups – formations:

Subs: J.F.Cuadrado, Vargas, Zapata, Mina, Díaz, Barrios, Aguilar, Rodríguez, Uribe, Bacca, Muriel, Borja.

Coach: Pekerman.

JAPAN (4-2-3-1): Kawashima; H. Sakai, Yoshida, Shōji, Nagatomo; Hasebe, Shibasaki; Haraguchi, Kagawa, Inui; Ōsako.

Subs: Higashiguchi, Nakamura, Endo, Makino, G. Sakai, Ueda, Honda, Ōshima, Yamaguchi, Usami, Mutō, Okazaki.

Coach: Nishino.

Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia).