Fatso v Cellone (Japan v Senegal) - BBC 1 4:00pm

Fatstuff v Cellone

So will @cellone serve @Fatso an extra large portion of humble pie?

Do Fatstuff’s underskids really smell like raw fish?

Is @cellone really the national mobile company in Senegal?

All these questions and more won’t be answered by 5:45pm

Predictions, lineups, Japanese foodstuffs etc.

TEAM NEWS

Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda suffered a bruised thigh after coming on as a substitute in the 2-1 win against Colombia, and will be monitored.

Forward Shinji Okazaki was a doubt prior to the opening match because of a calf problem but played the final five minutes, so should be in contention.

However, Okazaki is unlikely to displace Yuya Osako, who impressed as a lone striker in their last match.

Senegal also won their first game and they may be unchanged.

Stoke’s Mame Diouf started against the Poles but didn’t register a single shot, and was withdrawn after an hour.

Should Senegal opt for a change up front, Moussa Konate and Moussa Sow are alternative options.

OVERVIEW

Japan and Senegal are the pacesetters in Group H with a win apiece after both capitalised against opponents who hit the self-destruct button.

The Japanese had a numerical advantage for 87 minutes in their opener following Carlos Sanchez’s dismissal for Colombia.

Senegal, meanwhile, were gifted their second goal against Poland, with the quick-thinking Mbaye Niang tapping into an empty net after a calamitous back-pass from Grzegorz Krychowiak.

Japan’s win was the first at a World Cup for an Asian team against a South American side. Opponents Senegal have also been flying the flag for their continent, as they were the only African side to avoid defeat in the opening round of games.

Another Senegal victory will leave them on the brink of the last 16 - progress would be confirmed if Colombia fail to beat Poland later in the day. Conversely, Japan will go through if they win and the Poles fail to record a victory.

VIEW FROM BOTH CAMPS

Japan captain Makoto Hasebe: “We must keep our feet on the ground… we have to take into account that we played against 10 men for almost 90 minutes. The next game will be a different story.”

Senegal head coach Aliou Cisse: “Senegal won (against Poland) due to discipline. You saw a Senegal team very solid, very compact.”

LAWRO’S PREDICTION

Both of these teams surprised me by winning their opening games, although Japan were obviously helped by Colombia conceding a penalty and going down to to 10 men in the first few minutes of their match.

Senegal looked pretty solid at the back until they conceded late on and it will be interesting to see how both teams approach this game, because whoever wins it is probably through.

Prediction: 1-1

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

  • Senegal are unbeaten in their three previous games with Japan, all of which were friendlies.
  • The Senegalese have won the last two encounters, keeping clean sheets in both games (2-0 in 2001 and 1-0 in 2003).
Japan
  • Victory would see Japan become the first Asian side to win their opening two games at a World Cup.
  • The only previous occasion Japan have won consecutive games at a World Cup came at the 2002 tournament, which they co-hosted.
  • On that occasion they beat Russia and Tunisia in their second and third group games.
  • Japan have won two of their three World Cup games against African opponents, although they lost the more recent encounter, a 2-1 defeat by Ivory Coast in 2014.
  • The Japanese played 377 passes in the second half against Colombia, compared to just 218 in the first half (despite their opponents playing virtually the entire game with 10 men).
  • Keisuke Honda has been directly involved in six of Japan’s last eight World Cup goals, scoring three and assisting three.
  • Honda has not scored in his last 15 international games, a run stretching back to September 2016.
Senegal
  • Senegal have the best win rate of any African side to have played at a World Cup, winning three of their six matches (50%).
  • Only two African nations have won their opening two World Cup matches - Cameroon in 1990 and Nigeria in 1998.
  • This will be the first time Senegal have faced Asian opponents in a World Cup game.
  • They have conceded five times in their last nine games in all competitions, with just one of those goals coming in the first half.

We’re having a football day.

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What an awful bit of keeping from the Japanese fella. Punches a ball straight into the knees of Mane and it’s a goal. Just catch the bloody thing, you idiot. Certainly don’t punch a ball that’s knee height back out into the penalty area. Dick.

I have to express my disappointment in the splitter, should have had the rebound to make it 2-1. Time for the skate cnt manager to shout at them a bit, then big up their confidence and set them up to win.
Conflict of interest from me as I want Japan to win. Bum

Went inside 5 mins ago and it was 1-1

Yoshi cuts down Manè

Good

:lou_lol:

3 Likes

Mane gets bollocked by manager. Love it.

2 Likes

Amazing free kick. :joy::joy::joy::joy:

Pooo!

:lou_sad:

Honda revving it up.

2-2

2 Likes

Get in Honda

Yay!

2:2

:lou_lol:

Fk Mané for walking away while Maya was talking to him. How rude!