World Cup Day 6: Russia nearly through, unexpected results in Group H taken at BSJ Headquarters (Revolution)

(Gokhan Balci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Revolution

World Cup Day 6: Russia nearly through, unexpected results in Group H

By Sean Sweeney

Jun 19, 2018 • 7:54 pm

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Couldn't keep up with the happenings in Russia today? Don't worry, BostonSportsJournal.com has you covered with all the day's action in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis.

FIVE THOUGHTS FROM TUESDAY'S ACTION

Hosts win 3-1, are almost through to the knockouts, while Egypt's pretty much out: Eight goals scored and one allowed is just dominating through two games. Russia owned this match and did a solid job of containing Liverpool's Mo Salah, preventing him from getting a sniff of the football. An Egypt own goal (the fifth of the tourney) early in the second half got the scoring started for Russia, and just before the hour mark, Denis Cheryshev scored his third goal of the tournament as the Russians picked up a loose ball, cycled toward the end line, and Cheryshev buried one from 15 yards away to put the host nation on the verge of the knockouts; two minutes later, Artem Dzyuba scored the third. Lots of if onlys surrounding this Egypt side, like if Spain's Sergio Ramos didn't take Salah down with an armbar during the Champions League Final last month. Salah, who scored on a VAR-aided penalty (and really, he didn't need his arm held back) with 17 minutes left, didn't get that much of an opportunity to do anything on the world stage.

Japan downs 10-man Colombia, 2-1: Bayern Munich's James Rodriguez did not start, but he had a half-hour run-out for Los Cafeteros. But when Carlos Sanchez saw a straight red for handling and denying a goal-scoring opportunity three minutes into the match, it really should not have phased Colombia that much. And even a man and a goal down -- Shinji Kajawa put the Japanese ahead, 1-nil, from the penalty spot, sending Arsenal second-choice keeper David Ospina the wrong way as a result of the Sanchez sending-off -- Colombia didn't play like they were; it continued its attack -- and so did Japan. Midway through the 39th, Colombia drew level as Juan Fernando Quintero, on a worm-burning free kick, caught the Japanese goalkeeper off-guard, causing him to react late and stop the ball a full foot beyond the goal line. Yet it was Japan who took the lead in the 73rd minute as Yuya Osako rose and headed in a corner off the post, only seconds after the Samurai Blue nearly made it two.

Senegal downs Poland with a touch of controversy: As we said the other day, Senegal shocked France to open the 2002 World Cup, and 16 years later, the Lions of Teranga did the same with sixth-ranked Poland on Monday. Senegal had plenty of possession and pressure on Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny during the first half hour, and Senegal managed to capitalize in the 38th minute as Idrissa Gueye's shot caromed off Thiago Cionek's leg and into the goal for an own goal, the fourth of the tourney. Unlucky for Poland on that, and this next line would be just as unlucky, as M'Baye Diang, who had suffered a knock on his ankle only a few seconds prior, had a miraculous recovery: referee Nawaf Shukralla allowed him to come back on just before Poland played a ball from the middle third back in the general direction of Szczesny... but Diang caught the defender unawares and got to it first, and with Szczesny way off his line, Diang pounded it in from eight yards away. Didn't look like his ankle was that bad, especially with that run, and there will be some American viewers questioning that rather skeptically. Poland's Grzegorz Krychowiak then had a brilliant header off a free kick in the 86th, and while it was Game On, that rounded out the scoring to give Senegal a 2-1 win.

Make no bones about it. Group H is officially turned upside down: With those results in favor of Japan and Senegal (and remember that I said don't sleep on Senegal in our World Cup primer), there's now lots of work for Poland and Colombia to do when the two nations face each other on Sunday. A loss will knock the loser out of the tournament, while a draw keeps both of their hopes to advance on life support. The winner of Japan-Senegal on Sunday should be through to the knockout stage at six points, while a draw in that match opens everything up.

Scoring down slightly compared to '14: Just before 1 p.m. (in other words, just after I got back from Revs training at Gillette), the first go-around through the groups ended. There have been 38 goals scored in that time, and the four from Russia-Egypt match gets us to 42 in 17 matches. A little less than 2.5 goals per match. At this point in Brazil four years ago, 49 goals were scored.

OFF THE PITCH

Brazil superstar Neymar limped off the training pitch Tuesday favoring his right ankle; keep in mind, he had surgery on that foot several months ago:








STATS OF THE DAY








PLAYER OF THE DAY


Artem Dzyuba, striker, Russia




TOP PLAYS














































WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON WEDNESDAY




Cristiano Ronaldo

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