Sports

Honda steers Japan to 2-2 draw with Senegal

June 24, 2018
Japan's players celebrate at the end of their World Cup match against Senegal at the Ekaterinburg Arena in Ekaterinburg Sunday. — AFP
Japan's players celebrate at the end of their World Cup match against Senegal at the Ekaterinburg Arena in Ekaterinburg Sunday. — AFP

YEKATERINBURG, Russia — Midfielder Keisuke Honda came off the bench to salvage a 2-2 draw for Japan against Senegal, as both teams were locked at the top of Group H following an entertaining encounter Sunday.

Veteran Honda, 32, who became the first Japanese player to score in three different World Cups, replaced Shinji Kagawa in the second half with his team down 2-1 and fired the equalizer in 12 minutes from time after a bad error by Senegal goalkeeper Khadim N'Diaye.

Senegal thought it had claimed all three points as Moussa Wague drilled the ball into the top of the net in the 71st minute to make it 2-1, after Sadio Mane's fortuitous first-half opener was cancelled out by Takashi Inui's curling shot. But Honda ensured things ended level and deservedly so.

The result leaves both teams, who beat Colombia and Poland respectively in their opening matches, on four points from two games and within reach of a spot in the last 16.

"They were avoidable goals, that's clear," Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said in a blunt assessment of his defense. "The best team was Japan, we have to admit that."

"We didn't play a great game but we didn't lose... I believe... I have confidence. Our team has the quality to face Colombia," he added, looking forward to Thursday's meeting with the South Americans in Samara. Japan plays Poland in Volgograd.

Senegal's back line might have faltered toward the end but it began strongly and its robust defending neutralized any early threat that the Japanese front line posed, allowing its own attackers to push up in numbers.

The Africans went ahead in the 11th minute, although there was an element of luck to its opener.

A poor headed clearance landed right at Youssouf Sabaly's feet and although goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima managed to parry the defender's stinging shot from the left, the ball rebounded into the net off Mane's knee.

Japan regained composure and responded with a well-taken goal with its only shot on target in the opening period to level the score at 1-1.

Yuto Nagatomo controlled a long pass with a deft first touch before rolling the ball into the path of Inui, who cut in from the left and fired a curling shot past a diving N'Diaye.

Senegal appeared to step off the gas toward the end of the half, and the effects were still evident after the restart, as it resorted to long-range efforts that failed to test the Japanese goalkeeper.

It nearly paid for allowing its opponent to run at it, as Yuya Osako narrowly failed to connect with a pass across the box on the hour mark before Inui's powerful shot struck the bar with the goalkeeper beaten.

Wague appeared to have ended hopes of a Japanese comeback as he drilled Sabaly's low cross into the top of the net to send Senegal's supporters into raptures.

But the Asians were not done and hit back again through midfielder Honda, who collected Inui's pass and prodded into an empty net after goalkeeper N'Diaye stepped off his line and failed to punch the ball away.

"It was a tough match and we knew it was going to be tough," Japan coach Akira Nishino said. "I evaluate it as a very good point. Senegal is a tough team and this result I hope will lead to success in the next match." — Reuters


June 24, 2018
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