Japan became the first side to qualify for the World Cup knockout stages on the basis of winning the fair play tiebreaker on Thursday, as they made it through to the round of 16 despite a 1-0 loss to Poland.

Senegal’s defeat to Colombia by the same score meant Japan only made it through by virtue of having picked up two fewer yellow cards than their rivals.

Here are the talking points as they became the only Asian side to reach the last 16.

JAPAN’S BIZARRE SELECTION GAMBLE NEARLY COSTS THEM

Akira Nishino took a huge gamble with his selection, making six changes to his starting XI and leaving out all the players who had scored for him so far in this tournament.

It made absolutely no sense. Japan’s spot in the knockouts was far from secure – indeed, they ended up qualifying by the skin of their teeth, getting essentially the worst good scenario to go their way. They needed a win or a draw to qualify, and they knew that a loss could have been fatal to their hopes. Opting against playing a first-choice XI was a bizarre decision from the Japan manager.

Perhaps Japan had decided there was no point in going for top spot in the group given the opposition would be either England or Belgium, neither of which would be preferable. But again, that sort of thinking is only acceptable when qualification is secure.

This is not even a decision that can be justified in hindsight. They were close to conceding a second goal, which would have knocked them out, on more than occasion, and relying on his less-tested players to avoid picking up bookings that would have eroded Japan’s fair play advantage was a foolhardy gamble. Nishino is lucky it worked.

Akira Nishino was lucky to see Japan qualify after his selection gamble.

NO WORLD CUP GOAL FOR LEWANDOWSKI

Robert Lewandowski topped all competitors in European qualifying with 16 goals – no mean feat when the competition includes pedigreed goalscorers like Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane, not to mention Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished just behind the Polish striker. The Bayern Munich man also won the Bundesliga’s Golden Boot with 29 goals in the league.

He won’t be topping any charts this summer, however, after his disappointing World Cup came to an end without registering a single goal.

The service hasn’t been of the highest quality, but it was the same service that had led to his goals during qualifying. He can’t blame having to face better defences in Russia either, not when Poland’s qualifying group included Denmark. The truth is, he hasn’t delivered his best.

Lewandowski will be 33 when the next World Cup takes place – and there’s no guarantee that he’ll even be there. Even if form and fitness stay with him, Poland qualified for this summer’s tournament after a 12-year absence from football’s showpiece, so they can’t take their place at the World Cup for granted.

One of the best strikers of his generation may end up without a World Cup goal to his name.

It’s been that sort of World Cup for Lewandowski.

INEXPLICABLE THINKING LEADS TO FARCICAL END

News of Colombia’s goal against Senegal took the edge completely out of this game. Japan knew they’d be through if the scores stayed the same in both games, and began playing the ball between themselves at the back. Poland, seemingly happy with a 1-0 win, obliged, doing the same when they had the ball and not pressing to regain possession when it was with Japan.

The jeers that rang around the stadium were well-earned. The way this game ended was a farce.

Japan settling for a 1-0 loss was somewhat understandable but still fraught with risk. They wasted the last 10 minutes on a gamble that Senegal wouldn’t score. Would they have just started trying again if Senegal had scored?

There was no reason to believe this was a smart gamble – Senegal scored twice against them, after all, as well as twice against Poland. Scoring and thus being in control of their own fate was surely the better option.

And why were Poland so obliging? It was nothing to them which of Japan and Senegal went through, and surely the captain and leader of the team, Lewandowski, was desperate for a goal? Whatever pride they were salvaging with victory was eroded by their complicity in this farce.

Japan qualified but only after a farcical ending.