Group H
Columbia
How qualified – Third in CONMEBOL Group
Best performance – Quarter-finals in 2014
Squad
GOALKEEPERS: David Ospina (Arsenal), Camilo Vargas (Deportivo Cali), Jose Fernando Cuadrado (Once Caldas).
DEFENDERS: Cristian Zapata (Milan), Davinson Sanchez (Tottenham), Santiago Arias (PSV Eindhoven), Oscar Murillo (Pachuca), Frank Fabra (Boca Juniors), Johan Mojica (Girona), Yerry Mina (Barcelona).
MIDFIELDERS: Wílmar Barrios (Boca Juniors), Carlos Sanchez (Espanyol), Jefferson Lerma (Levante), Jose Izquierdo (Brighton), James Rodriguez (Bayern Munich), Abel Aguilar (Deportivo Cali), Mateus Uribe (America), Juan Fernando Quintero (River Plate), Juan Cuadrado (Juventus).
FORWARDS: Radamel Falcao (Monaco), Miguel Borja (Palmeiras), Carlos Bacca (Villarreal), Luis Fernando Muriel (Sevilla).
Japan
How qualified – Won AFC Group B
Best performance – Round of 16 in 2002 & 2014
Squad
GOALKEEPERS: Eiji Kawashima (Metz), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka), Kosuke Nakamura (Kashiwa Reysol).
DEFENDERS: Yuto Nagatomo (Galatasaray), Tomoaki Makino, Wataru Endo (Urawa Reds), Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Hiroki Sakai (Marseille), Gotoku Sakai (Hamburg); Gen Shoji, Naomichi Ueda (Kashima Antlers).
MIDFIELDERS: Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt); Keisuke Honda (Pachuca), Takashi Inui (Eibar), Shinji Kagawa (Dortmund), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka), Genki Haraguchi, Takashi Usami (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Gaku Shibasaki (Getafe), Ryota Oshima (Kawasaki Frontale).
FORWARDS: Shinji Okazaki (Leicester), Yuya Osako (Werder Bremen), Yoshinori Muto (Mainz).
Poland
How qualified – Won UEFA Group E
Best performance – Third Place in 1974 & 1982
Squad
GOALKEEPERS: Bartosz Bialkowski (Ipswich), Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City), Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus)
DEFENDERS: Jan Bednarek (Southampton), Bartosz Bereszynski (Sampdoria), Thiago Cionek (SPAL), Kamil Glik (Monaco), Artur Jedrzejczyk (Legia Warsaw), Michal Pazdan (Legia Warsaw), Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund).
MIDFIELDERS: Jakub Blaszczykowski (Wolfsburg), Jacek Goralski (Ludogorets Razgrad), Kamil Grosicki (Hull City), Grzegorz Krychowiak (Paris St-Germain), Rafal Kurzawa (Gornik Zabrze), Karol Linetty (Sampdoria), Slawomir Peszko (Lechnia Gdansk), Maciej Rybus (Lokomotiv Moscow), Piotr Zielinski (Napoli).
FORWARDS: Dawid Kownacki (Sampdoria), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli), Lukasz Teodorczyk (Anderlecht).
Senegal
How qualified – Won CAF Group D
Best performance – Quarter-finals in 2002
Squad
GOALKEEPERS: Khadim Ndiaye (Horoya AC), Abdoulaye Diallo (Rennes), Alfred Gomis (Torino)
DEFENDERS: Kara Mbodji (Anderlecht), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Moussa Wague (Eupen), Saliou Ciss (Angers), Youssouf Sabaly (Bordeaux), Lamine Gassama (Alanyaspor), Armand Traore (Nottingham Forest), Salif Sane (Hannover 96)
MIDFIELDERS: Pape Alioune Ndiaye (Stoke), Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Cheikhou Kouyate (West Ham), Cheikh N’Doye (Birmingham)
FORWARDS: Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Diao Balde Keita (Monaco), Ismaila Sarr (Rennes), Diafra Sakho (Rennes), Moussa Konate (Amiens), Mame Biram Diouf (Stoke), Mbaye Niang (AC Milan)
Fixtures
19 June
- Colombia vs. Japan (1pm, BBC)
- Poland vs. Senegal (4pm, ITV)
24 June
- Japan vs. Senegal (4pm, BBC)
- Poland vs. Colombia (7pm, ITV)
28 June
- Senegal vs. Colombia (3pm, BBC)
- Japan vs. Poland (3pm, BBC)
Group Preview
The last of the eight groups to get going is Group H and in many ways there is a case to be made for it being the most open one of the lot. I say that because nobody really knows who they make favourites. The Russian group aside, the pot one seeds were comfortable favourites for their section but there is an uneasy feeling about Poland in that regard. Colombia are actually the favourites with the layers but their strengths and their weaknesses are clear for all to see. Senegal and Japan complete the group and they are unknowns themselves in many ways in a group where not a whole lot is known about all four sides hence the uncertainty.
Group Betting
A few months ago I thought Poland were the good things in this group but as ever with a tournament by the time it comes around things that looked good suddenly go against a team. I don’t think this will be a group that is won by nine points. It might not even be won with seven so betting with confidence is no easy but I do think Senegal can spring a surprise and qualify.
I say that because they have everything I like in a World Cup team. They have some technically good footballers but they have a lot of pace and power and if they can organise themselves and get their key players in dangerous positions and on the ball I think they can qualify. In Sadio Mane they have one of the best players in the group and their spine is solid. If Poland are the best team in the group they get them out of the way first and at odds against they look a good bet to qualify.
Team Bets
There is just one bet I like among the four individual teams here and that is with Colombia. Radamel Falcao is the favourite to be their leading scorer at the tournament but I prefer the craft, guile and all-round better play of James Rodriguez.
Falcao is a great number nine but there are some good central defenders in this group and I think the damage will come between the lines which is where Rodriguez will operate. He’ll also be on the set pieces and potentially the penalties and he may well want to prove himself once again having been overtaken in the spotlight since he left Real Madrid. At 3/1 there’s enough to like about the Golden Boot winner of four years ago.
Tips
Back Senegal to qualify for a 3/10 stake at 2.30 with Betfair
Back them here:
Back J.Rodriguez Top Colombia Tournament Goalscorer for a 2/10 stake at 4.00 with Karamba
Back him here:
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