Senegal eliminated from World Cup over yellow cards

"The situation forced me to make this decision".

After the fair play rule, there was only one other way a tiebreaker could have been solved, which would have been the drawing of lots by FIFA Organizing Committee.

Teams are given minus one point for a yellow card, minus three for a sending off for two bookings, and minus four for a straight red.

Igor Smolnikov of Russian Federation reacts after being shown a second yellow card by referee Antonio Malang Diedhiou during a Group A match against Uruguay earlier this week.

Both Japan and Senegal had scored four goals and equally conceded four goals.

Jan Bednarek scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Japan that wasn't enough to lift an otherwise hapless Poland team off the bottom of Group H. But the Japanese still had more of the chances in the first half.

Having the same number of points and goal difference, it now came down to goal difference to decide the runners up in the group.

He said he wanted Japan to be "more free and attacking in the next match" which will be against England or Belgium, who play later on Thursday in Group G.

"There is no doubt that our next opponents are going to be stronger than us", Japan defender Yuto Nagatomo said.

'We have to end this with flying colours and we'll do our utmost to get to the round of 16.

Today is the last day of the 2018 FIFA World Cup's group stage, and some clashes worthy of finals have already been confirmed for the round of 16.

With two fewer yellow cards, Japan's tally was better than Senegal, and though Nishino acknowledged his regrets in his postmatch news conference about the manner of Japan's progression, he did not apologise for the game's lifeless conclusion. "Football is a contact game".

"You have to be in contact with other players and it's a shame it worked against us".

It's the first time since 1982 that no African team has made it through to the knockout stage.