Osako's header lifts Japan past 10-man Colombia

Saransk, Russia (dpa) - Yuya Osako's header gave Japan a 2-1 win over 10-man Colombia in the opening Group H game for both teams at the World Cup on Tuesday. Osako nodded Keisuke Honda's corner home in the 73rd minute at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk. Colombia's Carlos Sanchez was shown the first red card of the tournament in the third minute for a deliberate handball, resulting in Shinji Kagawa's opening penalty.
Juan Quintero's clever free-kick pulled Colombia level before the break but Osako rose above Santiago Arias to head in off the right post to settle the matter. The match started in lively fashion as Colombia defender Davinson Sanchez let a high ball bounce over him to release Osako in on goalkeeper David Ospona, who came out to save with his feet.
The ball went out Kagawa and his goal-bound follow-up hit the outstretched arm of Sanchez, drawing an immediate red from referee Damir Skomina. A lengthy protest followed before Kagawa finally converted from the spot in the sixth minute. Radamal Falcao then sent Colombia's first attempt straight at Eiji Kawashima while Takashi Inui shot just wide of the far post at the other end.
Colombia coach Jose Pekerman made what appeared to be a tactical substitution by replacing attacking midfielder Juan Cuadrado with the more defensive Wilmar Barrios on the half hour. Despite being a man down the Colombians continued to press and were rewarded with an equalizer six minutes before the break as Quintero sent a free-kick from just outside the area under the leaping Japanese wall.
Kawashima seemed surprised by the strike and desperately scrambled across to claw it away at the post, but only after it had crossed the line. Ospina was forced into a pair of saves after the restart, first going down to smother Osako's shot and then diving out fully to palm away an effort from Inui. Pekerman went to his bench once again to bring on star midfielder James Rodriguez, who has been hampered by a muscular injury, for goalscorer Quintero while Honda replaced Kagawa.
Hiroki Sakai then had a shot blocked out for a corner which Osako rose above Santiago Arias to head in off the right post to settle things, silencing the overwhelming Colombian crowd. Poland face Senegal in the other Group H match later in Moscow.