Japan hold Senegal 2-2
Yekaterinburg, June 24: Takashi Inui inspired Japan to come back from behind twice to hold Senegal 2-2 in a FIFA World Cup Group H contest at the Ekaterinburg Arena here on Sunday.
The wide forward pulled Japan level in the 34th minute after forward Sadio Mane had given Senegal the lead in the 11th minute. Senegal got ahead again through right-back Moussa Wague but Inui assisted for veteran Keisuke Honda's equaliser in the 78th minute.
The hard-fought draw didn't do any harm to either of the sides as they are firmly in contention to reach the pre-quarterfinals. Following the draw, both Japan and Senegal have four points each after the conclusion of their respective second matches in Group H.
The Asian outfit showed a lot of determination and resoluteness to get a point from the game. The way the game started, but it seemed that the Africans will walk away winners like they did against Poland in their opener. But Japan were up to the task.
Senegal threatened early with their pace up front and relied on their counter-attack game. Especially right winger Ismail Sarr and young right-back Wague dominated Japanese left winger Inui and left-back Yuto Nagatomo.
Senegal took the lead in the 11th minute and Japan succumbed under early pressure for the opening goal. Wague crossed to the right but midfielder Genki Haraguchi botched an attempted headed clearance on the left and the ball fell to Youssouf Sabaly. The latter took a shot at goal and goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima punched the ball against the legs of Mane as it rolled into the net.
After the goal, Senegal took it easy as Japan took some time to get into the game. The goal certainly made Japan determined to find the equaliser.
They made some fine moves but always a Senegalese counter-attack was in their minds which were slightly stopping them from going full throttle. However, they did stretch Senegal in their own half as the Africans defended deep.
As the match crossed the 25-minute mark, Japan looked confident and more comfortable on the ball as the Senegal team had stopped pressing and chasing the ball.
Japan were rewarded for their efforts in the 34th minute as Nagatomo, on the left, brought down a pass from over the top before slipping the ball to Inui, who then curled a low shot past a couple of defenders and into the bottom right corner from 15 yards.
Five minutes later, off a counter-attack, Senegal could have regained the lead if M'biaye Niang had come up with a strong chip past an onrushing keeper Kawashima after being put through by Badoua Ndiaye.
In the second half, Japan continued to impress as Yuya Osako, who hardly made a decisive shot in the first half, tested Senegal goalkeeper Khadim Ndiaye twice within the first five minutes, one through a header and another with a rebound shot.
Osako then did well to gallop down the left corner of the Senegalse box before back-heeling the ball into the path of the marching Inui, who once again launched a lethal curling shot which beat Khadim and bounced off the crossbar in the 65th minute.
However, six minutes later, Senegal scored against the run of play when Wague blasted the ball into the net with a right-footer from the right as he connected a cross from Sabaly.
Senegal's lead lasted only seven minutes with Japan equalizing through Honda, who had come on as a substitute a minute after Senegal's goal. A cross was half-heartedly cleared by goalkeeper Khadim who came off his line and Inui grabbed the ball on the left before his cross to the right saw Honda's left-footer enter the Senegalese goal without resistance.
Later, both fought hard to score the winner but there was not any as the match ended 2-2.
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India can never permit others to have veto on its choices: EAM Jaishankar
Mumbai (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said India can never permit others to have a veto on its choices and will do whatever is right in the national interest and for the global good without being intimidated to “conform”.
In a video message for a function in Mumbai on Saturday, he said when India is etched more deeply in global consciousness, its repercussions are truly profound.
In a world grappling with unhealthy habits, stressed lifestyles or recurring climate events, there is much learning to be gained from India’s heritage. But the world will only know when the countrymen take pride in it, he said.
In an age of globalisation, technology and tradition must march together, said Jaishankar.
“Bharat will inevitably progress but it must do so without losing its Bharatiyata. Only then can we truly emerge as a leading power in a multi-polar world,” he said.
Jaishankar was conferred the 27th SIES Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati National Eminence Award. The awards are given in four fields – Public Leadership, Community Leadership, Human endeavour, Science and Technology and Social Leadership – with primacy on spiritualism.
The awards are named after the late 68th Seer of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi.
The foreign minister did not attend the event but sent his video message.
“Independence should never be confused with neutrality. We will do whatever is right in our national interest and for global good without being intimidated to conform. Bharat can never permit others to have a veto on its choices,” he said.
“For too long we were schooled to visualise progress and modernity as a rejection of our heritage and traditions,” Jaishankar said.
Perhaps, this came from an affinity for imported models, or perhaps it was a discomfort with its own practices. But now as the deepening of democracy has thrown up more authentic voices, the country is rediscovering itself and finding again its own persona, he said.
Jaishankar said India is an exceptional nation because it is a civilisation state. Such a country will only exercise influence when it fully leverages its cultural strengths in the global arena, he said.
“To that it is essential that we ourselves, the younger generation, are fully aware of the value and significance of our heritage. This can be articulated at various levels, but most importantly it should have an impact at the societal level,” he said.
Jaishankar said India is poised today at a crucial juncture. On the one hand, the last decade has demonstrated that it has the capabilities, confidence and, most importantly, the commitment to advance development across broad fronts.
It has shown that the age-old problems of poverty, discrimination and lack of opportunities can be indeed addressed. On the global stage, it has established itself as an independent power but one committed to global good, especially the well-being of the global south, he said.
“At the same time, however, the constraints and limitations that have long been our bane still remain in place. There are viewpoints and ideologies which are more pessimistic and even denigrating of ourselves,” added Jaishankar.
