JFA boss lauds Japan’s ‘fair play’

Tokyo: Japan’s football chief has saluted the team for its “fair play” as debate rages over the manner in which the Blue Samurai booked their spot in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Kozo Tashima, president of the Japan Football Association (JFA), insisted the team deserved a place in the knockout stage in Russia, won at the expense of Senegal by virtue of having picked up fewer yellow cards.

However, Japan have faced an angry backlash for running down the clock in the last 15 minutes despite losing 1-0 to Poland on Thursday, gambling that the West Africans would not equalise against Columbia in the other Group H game.

Those comments rang hollow to many, however, after the Japanese played keep-ball inside their own half under instructions from coach Akira Nishino and were booed off the pitch at the final whistle.