World Cup Recap: Day 6
Wins for Japan, Senegal and Russia as host nation continues to score big
Jun 19, 2018, 5:15 pm
Russia is now 2-0 as hosts of the World Cup. Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
The final games in the first round of the group stage would be played on Tuesday as Russia vs. Egypt would kick off the second wave of group matches. A lot of the attention would be the stars of European leagues like Colombia’s James Rodriguez, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, Senegal’s Sadio Mané and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah.
Colombia 1-2 Japan
Mordovia Arena, Saransk
Attendance: 40,842
Colombia are one of the teams considered a “dark horse” in this World Cup, but Los Cafeteros could not have gotten off to a more nightmarish start. A handball in the third minute not only conceded a penalty in favor of Japan but it also left Colombia to battle the remainder of the 87-plus minutes with 10 men after the red card to defender Carlos Sanchez. Borussia Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa converted from the penalty spot and Japan was up 1-0 early. Colombia reorganized themselves in midfield but their best opportunity would come on a dead ball after Radamel Falcao won a free kick in the 37th minute. Juan Fernando Quintero sneaked the ball through the ground as the players on the wall jumped and - with confirmation from the goal-line technology - Colombia tied the score.
Japan was able to rectify their form in the second half, they took control of possession and made use of the man-advantage. Both teams generated five shots in the first half but Japan had the better second half, outshooting Colombia nine to three. After their persistence in attack, Japan finally broke through on a corner as Yuya Osako headed in the game-winning goal in the 73rd minute.
Analysis: Colombia will be disappointed not to have gotten off to a better start but better to have this setback in the first match while they still have time to rectify their form. They will play their most important match yet against Poland, who will not be an easy outing. Japan pick up a big result that could see them advance to their first round of 16 since South Africa 2010, if they are able to capitalize on this result. Group H is wide open.
Notable stat: Japan is the first Asian side to beat a South American opponent at a FIFA World Cup
Poland 1-2 Senegal
Spartak Stadium, Moscow
Attendance: 44,190
Senegal are the first African team to pick up a win at the 2018 FIFA World Cup after defeating Poland. Both sides had opportunities to take the lead but the opening goal would come off an own-goal from Poland in the 37th minute. A shot by Senegal’s Idrissa Gueye rebounded off the leg of Polish defender Thiago Cionek to make it 1-0. That was the clearest scoring opportunity as neither teams generated a shot on goal in the first half.
The deficit would open up the game and bring out a more attacking Poland in the second half. Robert Lewandowski had a good opportunity from a free kick that was saved by the Senegalese goalkeeper Khadim Ndiaye. Senegal would increase their lead in a bit of controversial fashion as forward Mbaye Niang re-entered the match from injury to sprint and score in the 60th minute. Poland had a high line in defense and were caught off guard of Niang re-entering the field. Poland finally got on the board in the 85th minute with a header from Grzegorz Krychowiak but were unable to get the draw or the comeback.
Analysis: This is a big win for Senegal considering the success of European countries at this World Cup. The Teranga Lions have a good chance to finish top of the group - depending on what happens from here, of course - but their biggest focus should be on bettering their form as a round of 16 match will likely come against Belgium or England. Poland now stares at a possible elimination match against Colombia on Sunday, depending on what happens between Senegal and Japan.
Notable stat: Senegal have yet to lose a group stage match at a FIFA World Cup (now 1-3-0)
Russia 3-1 Egypt
Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg
Attendance: 64,468
After finishing as the top scorer in the Premier League and guiding Liverpool to the UEFA Champions League Final, Mohamed Salah made his awaited debut for Egypt at the World Cup. The Egyptian star, coming back from a shoulder injury, would have a quiet match with only one shot in the first half. Neither side did much in the first half, for that matter, as tensions grew with each passing minute. Unfortunately for Egypt, the game would be blown wide open with an own goal off defender Ahmed Fathi in the 47th minute. Denis Cheryshev would add to his tally - and tie Cristiano Ronaldo in the Golden Boot race - with Russia’s second goal in the 59th minute. Artem Dzyuba scored Russia’s third in the 62nd to extend the lead to 3-nil. Salah would convert a penalty in the 73rd minute to open his account but Egypt would not be able to reverse the momentum.
Analysis: Russia picked up a huge result to all but secure their passage into the round of 16, which would be the farthest they have advanced since the fall of the Soviet Union. An Uruguay win would set up for a battle for the top spot of the group. Egypt, on the other hand, depends on a miracle win from Saudi Arabia to keep their hopes alive. Mo Salah’s debut may have come too late for the Egyptians as they stare at an early exit.
Notable stat: Egypt’s last goal at a World Cup also came off a penalty, converted by Magdi Abdelghani in a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands at Italy 1990.
Upcoming Matches (All Times CT):
Wednesday, June 20
7 a.m. - [Group B] Portugal vs. Morocco (FS1, Telemundo)
10 a.m. - [Group A] Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia (FOX, Telemundo)
1 p.m. - [Group B] Iran vs. Spain (FOX, Telemundo)
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After finishing up with the Guardians the Astros have a rather important series for early May with the Seattle Mariners heading to town for the weekend. While it’s still too early to be an absolute must-win series for the Astros, losing the series to drop seven or eight games off the division lead would make successfully defending their American League West title that much more unlikely.
Since their own stumble out of the gate to a 6-10 record the Mariners have been racking up series wins, including one this week over the Atlanta Braves. The M’s offense is largely Mmm Mmm Bad, but their pitching is sensational. In 18 games after the 6-10 start, the Mariners gave up five runs in a game once. In the other 17 games they only gave up four runs once. Over the 18 games their starting pitchers gave up 18 earned runs total with a 1.44 earned run average. That’s absurd. Coming into the season Seattle’s starting rotation was clearly better on paper than those of the Astros and Texas Rangers, and it has crystal clearly played out as such into the second month of the schedule.
While it’s natural to focus on and fret over one’s own team's woes when they are plentiful as they have been for the Astros, a reminder that not all grass is greener elsewhere. Alex Bregman has been awful so far. So has young Mariners’ superstar Julio Rodriguez. A meager four extra base hits over his first 30 games were all Julio produced down at the ballyard. That the Mariners are well ahead of the Astros with J-Rod significantly underperforming is good news for Seattle.
Caratini comes through!
So it turns out the Astros are allowed to have a Puerto Rican-born catcher who can hit a little bit. Victor Caratini’s pedigree is not that of a quality offensive player, but he has swung the bat well thus far in his limited playing time and provided the most exciting moment of the Astros’ season with his two-out two-run 10th inning game winning home run Tuesday night. I grant that one could certainly say “Hey! Ronel Blanco finishing off his no-hitter has been the most exciting moment.” I opt for the suddenness of Caratini’s blow turning near defeat into instant victory for a team that has been lousy overall to this point. Frittering away a game the Astros had led 8-3 would have been another blow. Instead, to the Victor belong the spoils.
Pudge Rodriguez is the greatest native Puerto Rican catcher, but he was no longer a good hitter when with the Astros for the majority of the 2009 season. Then there’s Martin Maldonado.
Maldonado’s hitting stats with the Astros look Mike Piazza-ian compared to what Jose Abreu was doing this season. Finally, mercifully for all, Abreu is off the roster as he accepts a stint at rookie-level ball in Florida to see if he can perform baseball-CPR on his swing and career. Until or unless he proves otherwise, Abreu is washed up and at some point the Astros will have to accept it and swallow whatever is left on his contract that runs through next season. For now Abreu makes over $120,000 per game to not be on the roster. At his level of performance, that’s a better deal than paying him that money to be on the roster.
Abreu’s seven hits in 71 at bats for an .099 batting average with a .269 OPS is a humiliating stat line. In 2018 George Springer went to sleep the night of June 13 batting .293 after going hitless in his last four at bats in a 13-5 Astros’ win over Oakland. At the time no one could have ever envisioned that Springer had started a deep, deep funk which would have him endure a nightmarish six for 78 stretch at the plate (.077 batting average). Springer then hit .293 the rest of the season.
Abreu’s exile opened the door for Joey Loperfido to begin his Major League career. Very cool for Loperfido to smack a two-run single in his first game. He also struck out twice. Loperfido will amass whiffs by the bushel, he had 37 strikeouts in 101 at bats at AAA Sugar Land. Still, if he can hit .225 with some walks mixed in (he drew 16 with the Space Cowboys) and deliver some of his obvious power (13 homers in 25 games for the ex-Skeeters) that’s an upgrade over Abreu/Jon Singleton, as well as over Jake Meyers and the awful showing Chas McCormick has posted so far. Frankly, it seems unwise that the Astros only had Loperfido play seven games at first base in the minors this year. If McCormick doesn’t pick it up soon and with Meyers displaying limited offensive upside, the next guy worth a call-up is outfielder Pedro Leon. In January 2021 the Astros gave Leon four million dollars to sign out of Cuba and called him a “rapid mover to the Major Leagues.” Well…
Over his first three minor league seasons Leon flashed tools but definitely underwhelmed. He has been substantially better so far this year. He turns 26 May 28. Just maybe the Astros offense could be the cause of fewer Ls with Loperfido at first and Leon in center field.
Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and I discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via YouTube: stone cold stros - YouTube with the complete audio available via Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.