World Cup: Osako nets winner as 10-man Colombia fail to hold Japan, FT 1-2
Colombia vs Japan: Colombia's Quintero equalises and negates the Japan's advantage of a goal and a man
 "Colombia Football Team")
Quintero equalises for Colombia. (Photo: @FifaWorldCup Twitter)
Colombia will look to 2014 Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez and top scorer Radamel Falcao for inspiration when they take on Japan in their Group H FIFA World Cup opener in Russia on Tuesday.
Live commentry: Colombia vs Japan
Full-time analysis:
This was Japan’s first World Cup win in Europe, and their first against South American opposition.
Osako cancelled out Quintero's clever free-kick with an emphatic header in 73rd minute. Group H match between Poland and Senegal to come next. Stay tuned.
What a moment: Japan have become the first ever Asian side to defeat a South American team at the World Cup (P18 W1 D3 L14)
Trivia: Keisuke Honda is the first player from an Asian nation to provide an assist in three different World Cup tournaments since 1966
Min 95: Japanese fans had already started celebrating. The Blue Samurai have finally made the history. Unfancied Japan are off to a flier. What a win and what a fabolous entertainment. It's Full-time, Japan 2 Colombia 1.
Min 90: How far can Colombia go? Five minutes added for the injury time. Falcao and Rodriguez knock the ball back and forth.
Min 86: James Rodriguez is booked for a lunge on Haraguchi. They are truly getting frustrated. But Japan continues to hog possession.
Min 85: Colombia is deseperate to make a comeback. They can't let go of this match so easily. Losing against the weakest link can truly open the group.
Trivia: Keisuke Honda has been directly involved in six of Japan's last eight goals at the World Cup (3 goals, 3 assists)
Min 77: That was nearly a goal. Rodriguez's brilliant shot in the box was blocked by Osako's toe.
Min 73: Honda gives a brilliant pass and the ball gets dispatched inside the net for a goal by Osako. What a goal. Japan finally gets what they deserved in the second half. Japan has clearly controlled nearly most of the seond half.
Min 70: Japan's substitution: Kagawa replaces Honda
Min 66: Pressure on the Colombian goal is certainly growing. Japan gets its 5th corner after a brilliant dribble by Inui in the left flank which was cleared by Davidson Sanchez.
Min 60: James Rodriguez has been greeted by huge cheers from the Colombian supporters. Can he give Colombia the much needed break to take the lead?
Min 59: The golden boot winner replaces the man of the hour. James Rodriguez comes in to replace Quintero.
Min 54: Osako had a good opportunity after gets in behind Davinson Sanchez and hits the ball from a tight angle.
Min 50: Japan have managed to outperform their rivals after the half time. Yoshida get a chance to score but ball gets poked
away from him.
Min 46: Looks like Japan was given some lesson during the half-time. They are looking more lively on the ball now. But Colombia stand firm.
Min 45: Game resumes. Colombia gets the possesion of the ball.
Trivia: Juan Quintero is the first player to score in two different World Cup tournaments for Colombia (2014 & 2018).
Half-time analysis:
This match belongs to Colombia. They had started without their star striker James Rodriguez. They got a penalty against them in the fourth minute and were trailing behind Japan by one goal.
Falcao played a crucial role in winning around three free kicks before the half time. Quintero scored a brilliant free kick in the 37th minute. It was a great first half and we can expect a cracking second half.
Min 45: One minute of extra injury time added to the game. Nothing special to mention here.
Min 44: Japan is still panicked after that free kick goal by Quintero. They have somehow totally lost the balance and don't how to move forward with ball.
Trivia: There have been more direct free-kick goals scored in just 15 games at this World Cup than there were in the entire 2014 edition
Min 37: Falcao wins one more free kick for Colombia. This is perfect angle for Colombia. Quintero takes the free kick and its a Goalllllll. The ball went rolling down the turf and crossed the mark before goalkeeper can get hold of the ball. What a shot. Excellent fightback from 10-man Colombia.
Min 36: Falcao goes down. Gets a free kick for Colombia.
Min 34: Colombia is finding the space. Everything has worled well for them except that Sanchez's hand ball.
Min 26: Colombia wins the corner. Cuadrado finds the ball and has lot of space. Osako blocks the ball with his heels.
Min 24: Haraguchi wins a corner for Japan. Yoshida, who came bothering has been penalised for shoving.
Min 20: Shigasaki makes an excellent tackle on the edge of penalty box. Robbed Cudardo of the of the ball just when he was pulling the trigger. Wonderful tackle
Min 18: Colombia are in more control of the game than they were in the immediate aftermath of the penalty and Sanchez red card.
Trivia: 02:56 - Carlos Sanchez's red card after two minutes and 56 seconds is the second fastest shown in World Cup history, after Jose Alberto Batista for Uruguay vs Scotland in 1986 (54 seconds).
Min 12: Colombia is trying to get things going. They have much of the possession of the ball. Hasebe bundles Cuadrado to the floor. Colombia wants a card for Hasebe. The Free kick goes directly in the hands of Kawashima.
Min 10: As a result of the penalty, it's taking time for match to settle down. There is no rythmn in the game now.
Min 5: Shinji Kagawa gives the much needed morale boost to Japan.The Borussia Dortmund midfielder sends Ospina wrong way to make 1-0 for Japan. What a start.
Min 3: It's a hand ball in the box by Sanchez. Japan gets a penalty. Sanchez has been shown a red card for blocking Kagawa's shot. Colombia down to 10 man. Massive blow to Colombia.
Min 1: Colombia gets the first free kick of the match. It's going to be a bit tough for Colombia without Rodriguez.
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Colombia vs Japan confirmed squad:
Match Preview: Colombia vs Japan
Despite sacking their coach just 71 days before the World Cup, Japan will attempt to prove their doubters wrong on Tuesday against a Colombia side sweating on the fitness of star midfielder James Rodriguez.
"We're going to conquer Russia," Falcao posted on Instagram recently alongside a picture of the South Americans decked out in ties on their plane to Russia.
Colombia were at their best in Brazil four years ago, reaching the quarter-finals, their best result ever.
Since then, they have endured a downturn though, surviving a wretched World Cup qualifying campaign for Russia.
They scored just 21 goals during the gruelling two-year, 18-match South American qualifiers and limped over the line with three points from their last four games to claim fourth spot.
Coached by Argentine Jose Pekerman, Colombia will look to their attacking prowess and prove that their run in Brazil was not just a one-off.
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"We have to take the initiative. We are a team that's characterized itself for that. We need to have confidence to go up front. But we also can't lose defensive strength," midfielder Abel Aguilar said on Friday.
Coming to Japan, the prospect of facing AS Monaco's Falcao and Rodriguez - on loan from Real Madrid at Bayern Munich -- should keep them on their toes.
Japan head coach Akira Nishino, a former international midfielder who took over in April, said last month that beating Colombia would be a "small miracle."
Japan have experienced players in their ranks in the form of Yuto Nagatomo, Shinji Okazaki and captain Makoto Hasebe.
"The quality of the Colombian team has gone up, and they have height and athleticism," said Fortuna Duesseldorf's Takashi Usami this month. "We have to adjust the quality of our ball delivery and the recipient's timing to meet the ball."
Watch out for:
James Rodriguez: The Bayern Munich attacking midfielder is key to Colombia's chances of repeating their run to the quarter-finals four years ago in Brazil.
James, 26, netted six goals and created four assists to help Colombia qualify for Russia, while midfielder Wilmar Barrios is also battling to be fit.
When and Where to watch: Colombia vs Japan