Japan coach voices regret after risking fair play result

Volgograd, Russia (dpa) - The non-aggression pact returned to the World Cup in Volgograd. Blame it perhaps on fair play. Japan coach Akira Nishino ordered his players not to go forward despite trailing 1-0 to Poland towards the end of his side's game against Poland in Volgograd. Knowing his side would be through because Colombia were leading Senegal in Samara, Nishino said he told his side "to stay put" and not get any yellow cards.
Japan knew at that stage, with Senegal level with them on points and goal difference, they would be through with Colombia - and Senegal out - on the fair play rules by dint of having two fewer yellow cards than the African side. No more goals were needed. And it was important not to concede any yellow cards. So no attacking or enthusiastic tackling was the order of the day.
It was a risky decision though. Boos rang out at the Volgograd Arena as Japan's players simply passed the ball among each other without the lest interest in moving it forwards. And Poland saw no need either to try to get the ball off them.
The Disgrace of Gijon came to mind when Austria and West Germany at the 1982 World Cup decided on a "non-aggression" pact in a final group game at the expense of Algeria. But it was only a suggestion of a stitch up. Unlike Spain 1982, the two final group games were being played at the same time. Poland could not go through, and Senegal in Samara still had matters in their own hand. An equalizer would have sent Japan out.
"It was a very tough, a very risky situation on our pitch," Nishino said. "We had a 'what if' on our pitch and there was another 'what if' on the other pitch.
"I decided to rely on the other match's result. We were not happy about the situation. It was not really our intention to stay trailing in the match." He added: "The final message I sent to the pitch was to stay put, and the players listened to me. No matter what, they were going to keep the status quo."
Nishino sent on captain Makoto Hasebe from the substitutes' bench in the 82nd minute with instructions to keep the score at 1-0 down. Hasebe, for his part told, the coach to let him know if a goal was scored in Samara. "It was slightly regrettable but I suppose at that point I didn't have another plan," Nishino said.
It will be different for the last 16 no matter who the opponents are - England or Belgium. Nishino usually prefers an attacking style. Circumstances had dictated his tactics against Poland, and Japan would revert to their more aggressive attacking style for the next game. "I am really not happy about how we played today but we wanted to go through to the round of 16 and we have so this is the only salvation I have," he said.