Colombia will be looking to repeat their standout performance in Brazil four years ago when they open their World Cup campaign against Japan.
Colombia will be pinning their hopes on James Rodriguez who is a doubtful starter for the clash. The 26-year was the star of the last World Cup in Brazil when his six goals and two assists helped Colombia make it to the quarterfinals. Colombia will start the game as firm favourites. However, Japan could follow the streak of massive upsets already happening this year. The likes of Mexico, Sweden, Iceland have shown that reputation is not making much difference this year.
Mañana comienza un nuevo capítulo del fútbol colombiano en la historia de la @fifaworldcup_es. El equipo, un engranaje con un solo objetivo. ??⚙️#MiCorazónTricolor #FCFMayores pic.twitter.com/v9EL1hWYfI
— Selección Colombia (@FCFSeleccionCol) June 18, 2018
Japan will also be eyeing to avenge their loss to Colombia four years ago. In Brazil, Japan met Colombia in the final group outing knowing it still had a chance of reaching the knockout phase. However, the South Americans crushed their hopes with a 4-1 win.
SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) entered the match site, Saransk after training behind closed doors at Kaza #football https://t.co/I401qjGM2A pic.twitter.com/eviDn90Dfi
— jfa_en (@jfa_en) June 18, 2018
Sportzwiki brings you all you need to know ahead of the clash between the two sides.
Venue and time:
Colombia and Japan lock horns at the Mordovia Arena. The action will begin at 5:30 PM IST.
Players to look out for:
For Colombia, all eyes will be on their talisman James Rodriguez. In the last edition of this competition, he had announced himself to the international stage with some stunning displays. His ability to create as well as score goals make him a threat all over the final third. Fresh off a good season for Bayern Munich, he will be eager to get off to a strong start as he looks to defend his Golden Boot from four years ago.
While the likes of Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda and Shinji Okazaki are some of the biggest names in the side, Yuya Osako is expected to lead the line. Not the most prolific of scorers, Osako’s strength lies in keeping hold of possession and bringing teammates into play.
Where to watch:
The Indians fans will enjoy extensive coverage of the game. The English coverage will be shown on SONY TEN 2 SD and HD channels.
The Hindi feed will be aired on SONY TEN 3 SD and HD channels. Bengali and Malayali feed will be available on SONY ESPN SD channel.
Squads:
| Position | Colombia players |
| Goalkeepers | Ospina, Vargas, Cuadrado |
| Defenders | Zapata, Sanchez, Arias, Murillo, Fabra, Mojica, Mina |
| Midfielders | Barrios, Sanchez, Lerma, Izquierdo, Rodriguez, Aguilar, Uribe, Quintero, Cardona, Cuadrado |
| Forwards | Falcao, Borja, Bacca, Muriel |
| Position | Japan players |
| Goalkeepers | Kawashima, Higashiguchi, Nakamura |
| Defenders | Nagatomo, Makino, Endo, Yoshida, Sakai, Sakai, Shoji, Ueda |
| Midfielders | Hasebe, Honda, Inui, Kagawa, Yamaguchi, Haraguchi, Usami, Shibasaki, Oshima |
| Forwards | Okazaki, Osako, Muto |
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