Yekaterinburg: Substitute Keisuke Honda equalised with 12 minutes left as Japan twice pegged back Senegal in a thrilling 2-2 draw on Sunday that leaves World Cup Group H wide open.
All eyes will now be on the other group match later in the evening between Poland and Colombia following this stalemate at the Yekaterinburg Arena.
As it stands, Japan and Senegal have four points after two games, with Colombia and Poland on zero, though they have played a game less.
Midfielder Honda was the hero for Japan, scoring the deserved leveller after goalkeeper Khadim N’Diaye flapped at a cross.
Senegal needed just over 10 minutes to go in front.
Japan failed to deal with a right-wing cross with Genki Haraguchi nodding the ball straight to Senegal defender Youssouf Sabaly in the box. He fired at Eiji Kawashima and the goalkeeper made a mess of it, punching the ball into the lurking Liverpool star Sadio Mane.
It appeared to pay off when the unfancied Asians stunned 10-man Colombia 2-1 in their opener, and on 34 minutes they were level with Senegal when Takashi Inui bent the ball wonderfully into the bottom corner. On 71 minutes, Japan allowed a scuffed cross to go right across their goal and defender Moussa Wague arrived all alone at the far post to grab what looked like being an unlikely winner.
