Honda strike earns Japan draw with Senegal

Second-half substitute Keisuke Honda scored late as Japan twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Senegal in their World Cup Group H match here on Sunday.

Moussa Wagner gave Senegal the lead with 19 minutes remaining after Takashi Inui's 34th-minute strike cancelled out Sadio Mane's opener.

But former AC Milan winger Honda drew his side level by firing in from close-range, six minutes after replacing Shinji Kagawa.

The result leaves both teams on four points from two matches and left the group wide open ahead of Thursday's last round of first-stage matches.

Senegal settled quickly, taking the lead in the 11th minute at Central Stadium. Youssouf Sabaly began the move by latching onto a poor clearance with a tame effort that Eiji Kawashima ought to have grasped. Instead, the goalkeeper punched the ball directly onto the legs of Mane and the ball rebounded into the net.

Despite having less possession, Senegal looked more dangerous in the final third as central striker M'Baye Niang combined well with Mane on the left and attacking midfielders Badou Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye just behind him.

Japan's equalizer came against the run of play after a superb assist from Yuto Nagatomo. The Galatasaray full-back left two defenders in his wake before feeding Inui, who took a touch before drilling an unstoppable shot into the far corner.

Japan raised the tempo after halftime as their high-pressing defence allowed them to quickly recover possession.

The Asian outfit came close to taking the lead just after the hour mark when Inui hit the crossbar after a backheel pass from Gaku Shibasaki.

Sabaly ran onto to Mane's dinked pass before turning smartly around his marker and firing a low cross to Niango in the six-yard box. The Torino forward made slight contact with a backheel flick and Wague timed his run perfectly to lash in at the far post.

But Japan continued to threaten as Senegal struggled to maintain possession. Honda was brought on for Shinji Kagawa shortly after the goal and the move made an immediate impact.

Inui's cross from the left after a bungled Senegal clearance fell to Honda and the CF Pachuca veteran coolly drilled his first-time effort past goalkeeper Khadim Ndiaye.