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Yellow cards against Japan and Senegal in the World Cup

In this June 19, 2018 file photo, Referee Nawaf Shukralla from Bahrain, center, shows a yellow card to Senegal's Idrissa Gana Gueye during the group H match between Poland and Senegal at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Spartak Stadium in Moscow, Russia. (Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press)
Associated Press

MOSCOW – Because Japan and Senegal were tied in points, goal difference, goals scored, and head-to-head at the World Cup, second place in Group H and advancement to the knockout stage was decided on fair play record. Japan had four yellow cards and Senegal six, and neither nation had a red card, so Japan plays in the round of 16.

FIFA added fair play record as an additional tiebreaker in October 2016. Under the rules of the 2014 World Cup, a drawing of lots would have been used in this situation. While a drawing of lots has never been used to decide which nation advanced, it was used for seeding when Ireland and the Netherlands were tied in 1990. Both were assured of advancing in the 24-nation tournament. The Netherlands drew a game against West Germany and Ireland beat Romania.

Yellow cards often are given more in the late stages of matches, with two issued to Senegal and one to Japan from the 90th minute on when they played Sunday.

All yellow cards assessed against Japan and Senegal in the group stage of the World Cup, with player, opponent, time, cause and referee.

Japan

Goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima vs. Colombia, 90+4, time wasting (Slovenian referee Damir Skomina)

Takashi Inui vs. Senegal, 68, pulling down Ismaila Sarr just outside the penalty area (Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi)

Makoto Hasebe vs. Senegal, 90+4, fouling Sadio Mane (Rocchi)

Tomoaki Makino vs. Poland, 66, fouling Robert Lewandowski (Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe)

Senegal

Salif Sane vs. Poland, 49, fouling Lewandowski (Bahraini referee Nawaf Shukralla)

Idrissa Gueye vs. Poland, 72, fouling Lewandowski (Shukralla)

M’Baye Niang vs. Japan, 59, hitting Gen Shoji in the face with an arm (Rocchi)

Youssouf Sabaly vs. Japan, 90, tackle of Tomoaki Makino (Rocchi)

Cheikh N’Doye vs. Japan, 90+1, infringement on Maya Yoshida contesting a long ball (Rocchi)

Niang vs. Colombia, 51, kicking Juan Cuadrado while trying to win a loose ball (Serbian referee Milorad Mazic)