For the first time, yellow-card tiebreaker decides World Cup group
MOSCOW >> It doesn’t get any tighter than it did between Japan and Senegal on Day 15 at the World Cup, and they weren’t even playing each other. Both lost 1-0 in simultaneous matches, and since they were tied on every other measure, for the first time, a World Cup group was decided by who had fewer yellow cards.
Senegal went home and Japan joined Colombia in advancing.
Belgium avoided any such complicated scenarios by topping England 1-0 to win their group in a game that seemed more about jockeying for position since both had already qualified to move on.
And as group play wrapped up, Tunisia overcame the tournament’s record ninth own-goal for a 2-1 comeback win — its first World Cup victory in 40 years — and send World Cup first-timers Panama home with a third defeat.