The 2018 FIFA World Cup continued on Thursday, June 28 afternoon with Japan losing to the already eliminated Poland, but they stay in the tournament at the Volgograd Arena.
Nothing much happened at both ends despite chances here and there in the first half.
In the second session after continued little action, Poland out of nowhere took the lead as a Kurzawa free-kick was volleyed in by defender Jan Bednarek.
Japan now tried their luck but the finishing let them down while Poland had one more chance through their captain and star striker Robert Lewandowski, but he ended the tournament with a goal.
Towards the end with Japan knowing that this loss would keep them in the tournament, kept the ball to themselves with Poland also not charging at them and it was finished with Japan celebrating their survival.
FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 – Group H
Japan 0-1 (0-0) Poland
Goals: 0-1 Jan Bednarek (59′)
Japan: Kawashima – H. Sakai, Yoshida, Makino, Nagatomo – Shibasaki, Yamaguchi – G. Sakai, Usami (65′ Inui) – Muto (82′ Hasebe), Okazaki (47′ Osako)
Subs: Higashiguchi, Nakamura, W. Endo, Shoji, Ueda, Haraguchi, Honda, Kagawa, Oshima
Poland: Fabianski – Bereszynski, Glik, Bednarek, Jedrzejczyk – Krychowiak, Goralski – Grosicki, Kurzawa (79′ Peszko) – Zielinski (79′ Teodorczyk) – Lewandowski
Subs: Bialkowski, Szczesny, Cionek, Pazdan, Piszczek, Rybus, Blaszczykowski, Linetty, Kownacki, Milik
Referee: Janny Sikazwe (Zambia)
Man of the Match: Jan Bednarek (Poland)