Colombia 1-2 Japan: Yuya Osako header downs 10-man Tricolors after Carlos Sanchez red card

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Japan beat 10-man Colombia to lay down a significant marker in their World Cup opener.

Also sitting in a group with Poland and Senegal, a win against the South Americans is a huge - and perhaps unexpected - boost in their first Group H game.

A frantic start to the game saw Colombia's Carlos Sanchez sent off after handling Shinji Kagawa's shot, making the midfielder the second-fastest sending-off in World Cup history.

Kagawa duly slotted home the subsequent penalty.

Colombia reacted well to going behind with Radamel Falcao, on his first World Cup start, and Juan Cuadrado lively in attack.

AP

Falcao went close with a diving header soon afterwards but his attempt was straight at Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, but Japan still posed a threat on the counter.

Kagawa, Japan's biggest threat in the first half, linked up well with Takashi Inui on the left-hand side for the latter to bend a shot around David Ospina but also narrowly wide of the post.

REUTERS

Shortly afterwards Yuya Osako tried his luck from a similar position but again Ospina saw it fizz wide.

Colombia finally made their dominance in possession count, courtesy of a bit a luck. Falcao was lucky to win a free kick but Juan Quintero fully deserved all the plaudits for sending his effort under the wall and inside the near post.

REUTERS

Japan came out with renewed purpose in the second half and finally started looking like a team with a one-man advantage, forcing Ospina into two strong saves inside the opening 10 minutes.

The Samurai Blue finally established the lead from a set-piece. Seconds after missing a sitter, Kagawa whips in the subsequent corner and Oskako beats Ospina with a header via the inside of the far post for a huge win.

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