Colombia's Yerry Mina and Davinson Sanchez in action with Senegal's M'Baye Niang during the Group H World Cup match. ReutersSamara: Colombia's Yerry Mina thumped home a second-half header to secure a dramatic 1-0 victory over Senegal on Thursday that catapulted the South Americans into the World Cup last 16 and dumped their African opponents out of tournament.
Senegal had only needed a point in their final Group H game to reach the next round, but defeat saw them miss out to Japan, who edged them out of the runners-up spot by virtue of having a better disciplinary record.
It was the first time in World Cup history that two teams had been separated by the amount of yellow cards they had accrued in the tournament.
Colombia players celebrate in front of fans after Yerry Mina scores their first goal. ReutersBoth Senegal and Japan, who were beaten 1-0 by Poland on Thursday, finished the group with four points and an identical record in all other respects. Yet the Asian side ended in second position having picked up four yellow cards to Senegal's six.
Colombia, who finished as group winners with six points, will face a last-16 match against England.
Defeat for Senegal eliminated them at the group stage in their first World Cup appearance since 2002, and left Africa without a representative in the knockout stages.
Senegal had been heading through until the 74th minute when Mina rose to meet a corner and sent a bullet header into the net.
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
Belgium players celebrate after the match. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
Belgium's Nacer Chadli and England's Danny Rose after the match. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
England manager Gareth Southgate and Trent Alexander-Arnold after the match. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
Belgium's Marouane Fellaini in action with England's Jordan Pickford. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
England's Jordan Pickford and John Stones applaud the fans after the match. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
England's Jamie Vardy (left) vies with Belgium's Moussa Dembele during the World Cup Group G match at the Kaliningrad Stadium on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
England's Gary Cahill clears the ball off the goal line during the World Cup Group G match between England and Belgium at the Kaliningrad Stadium on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
Russian billionaire Leonid Fedun (right) attends the World Cup Group G match between England and Belgium at the Kaliningrad Stadium on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
Belgian soccer fans cheer while waiting to cross the Polish-Russian border on their way to the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and England at Grzechotki-Mamonovo crossing point, Poland June 28, 2018. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
Belgian soccer fans gather before crossing the Polish-Russian border on their way to the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and England. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
Belgian soccer fans gather before crossing the Polish-Russian border on their way to the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and England. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: England vs Belgium
English soccer fans gather while waiting to cross the Polish-Russian border on their way to the World Cup Group G soccer match between Belgium and England at Grzechotki-Mamonovo crossing point. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Tunisia vs Panama
Panama's players celebrate after scoring against Tunisia at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: Tunisia vs Panama
Panama's Jose Luis Rodriguez (left) celebrates next to Ricardo Avila his team's opening goal against Tunisia at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: Tunisia vs Panama
Panama's Roman Torres vies with Tunisia's Wahbi Khazri (right) during the World Cup Group G match at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Colombia players celebrate in front of fans after Yerry Mina scores their first goal. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Colombia's Yerry Mina (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Senegal Colombia at the Samara Arena on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Colombia's Yerry Mina (rear centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Senegal at the Samara Arena on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Colombia's Falcao (left) vies for the ball with Senegal's Idrissa Gana Gueye and Senegal's Cheikhou Kouyate during the World Cup Group H match between Senegal and Colombia at the Samara Arena on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Colombia's Johan Mojica in action with Senegal's Ismaila Sarr. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Colombia's Yerry Mina and Davinson Sanchez in action with Senegal's M'Baye Niang. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Colombia's Mateus Uribe in action. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Colombia's Johan Mojica goes down after sustaining an injury. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Colombia's fans cheer as they arrive to attend the World Cup Group H match between Senegal and Colombia at the Samara Arena on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Senegal's Sadio Mane reacts during the match. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Senegal vs Colombia
Colombia's Mateus Uribe in action with Senegal's Ismaila Sarr and Cheikhou Kouyate. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Japan players applaud their fans as they qualified for the second round. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Japan players applaud fans after the match. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Japan players after the match. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Japan's Shinji Kagawa applauds fans after the match. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Japan's goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima greets his son Kensei after the final whistle during the World Cup Group H match between Japan and Poland at the Volgograd Arena on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Poland players celebrate victory after the match. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Japan players after the match. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Poland's Jan Bednarek (2nd left) celebrates with Kamil Glik (right) and teammates after scoring the opener against Japan at the Volgograd Arena on June 28, 2018. AFP
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Poland's Michal Pazdan reacts after a challenge. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Japan's Gotoku Sakai in action with Poland's Artur Jedrzejczyk. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Poland's Jan Bednarek in action with Japan's Yoshinori Muto. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Japan fans watching the action during the World Cup match between Japan and Poland. Reuters
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FIFA World Cup: Japan vs Poland
Japan's Yoshinori Muto (left) pressures Poland's goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski during the World Cup Group H match between Japan and Poland at the Volgograd Arena on June 28, 2018. AFP
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It was a crushing blow to the Senegalese who had been the better side for most of the game and had a penalty award overturned in the first half after a VAR review.
They had looked set to take the lead in the 17th minute when Liverpool forward Sadio Mane went down in the area under a challenge from Davinson Sanchez and referee Milorad Mazic pointed to the spot.
The VAR system has not been universally acclaimed at this tournament, but television replays appeared to show Sanchez get his heel on the ball, before clattering into Mane, and after reviewing his original decision, Mazic agreed.
Colombia had got off to a poor start and suffered a blow early on when playmaker and talisman James Rodriguez was forced off injured.
After his display in their last match against Poland, Colombian hopes had again been pinned on the shoulders of Rodriguez, who had spearheaded their run to the last quarter-finals four years ago.
Colombia's Johan Mojica (L) in action with Senegal's Ismaila Sarr. ReutersThose hopes looked forlorn, however, within minutes of kickoff at the Samara Arena as the forward was hit with one heavy challenge, which clearly took its toll, and he was withdrawn after half an hour having spent much of the intervening period ambling around the pitch.
His exit did little, however, to revive the sluggish South Americans, who had been second best in almost every department.
Chances throughout the game were thin on the ground, with Colombia striker Radamel Falcao heading off target in the 25th minute and again in the second half, while substitute Luis Muriel had an effort blocked.
Yet Mina ensured Colombia were not made to pay when he headed home in the 74th minute.
