An opening win that few saw coming has given Japan the perfect start to its World Cup campaign, but there will be further hurdles to clear if the team is to book its place in the knockout round.
Japan beat Colombia 2-1 in Saransk on Tuesday in a game of high drama, indelibly shaped by a third-minute handball that saw Colombian midfielder Carlos Sanchez sent off and Shinji Kagawa give Japan the lead from the penalty spot. Colombia clawed its way back to equalize through Juan Quintero's 39th-minute free kick, but Japan regrouped at halftime and a Yuya Osako header in the 73rd minute gave the Samurai Blue a historic victory.
No Asian team had previously beaten a South American opponent at the World Cup, and few would have predicted that this Japan side would be the one to do it. Results had been poor heading into the tournament, and the Japan Football Association's decision to replace manager Vahid Halilhodzic with Akira Nishino in April was beginning to look questionable at best.