The 2018 World Cup is underway. CBS Sports will have you covered for each game, all the important news and more, as well as profiles of all of the teams. Senegal was knocked out of its second World Cup by ... yellow cards. Senegal finished group stage play with four points, the same as Japan, but the tiebreaker came down to FIFA Fair Play points. After a 1-0 loss to Colombia, Senegal and Japan both finished with the same points, but with the teams tying 2-2 in the second match of group play, the tiebreaker came down to Fair Play points. Senegal ended with more cards than Japan, and as a result, Japan advanced to the knockout stage. Competition history World Cup appearances: Two Best finish: Quaterfinals in 2002 Last World Cup: 2002 Matches Tuesday, June 19: Senegal 2, Poland 1 Sunday, June 24: Senegal 2, Japan 2 Thursday, June 28: Colombia 1, Senegal 0 Roster The African team is hoping for a repeat of 2002 Getty Images Goalkeepers: Abdoulaye Diallo (Rennes), Alfred Gomis (SPAL), Khadim Ndiaye (Horoya). Defenders: Lamine Gassama (Alanyaspor), Saliou Ciss (Valenciennes), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Kara Mbodii (Anderlecht), Youssouf Sabaly (Bordeaux), Salif Sane (Hannover), Moussa Wague (Eupen). Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Cheikhou Kouyate (West Ham United), Alfred Ndiaye (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Badou Ndiaye (Stoke City), Cheikh Ndoye (Birmingham City), Ismaila Sarr (Rennes). Forwards: Keita Balde (Monaco), Mame Biram Diouf (Stoke City), Moussa Konate (Amiens), Sadio Mane (Liverpool, England), Mbaye Niang (Torino), Diafra Sakho (Rennes), Moussa Sow (Bursaspor). Best Player Sadio Mane. The Liverpool star winger is one of the top talents in the Premier League and is coming off a 20-goal season. He's as fast as they come, but he's also wise on the ball. He knows when to cut in front of defender and doesn't need long to put a shot on frame. He's the man in attack for the Lions. Player to watch It's Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly. He's one of the top defenders in Serie A and has been linked with many Premier League teams because of his performances. He's so strong and stands 6-foot-4, he can help in the air on set pieces in attack and should give Senegal fans confidence that this team can defend. Combine him with defensive midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate of West Ham, and you have two fine defensive-minded players to lead.<doc-sep>On Thursday Senegal made history, and not the good kind. The last African nation eligible in the World Cup was knocked out by Fair Play points by picking up more cards than Japan during group stage, making them the first team to ever lose a tiebreaker due to the rule. Senegal lost to Colombia 1-0 while Japan lost 1-0 to Poland, so Japan made it to the Round of 16 with four points and a tie with Senegal. Senegal, as you can imagine, was gracious as ever in defeat and has no hard feelings towards FIFA for the rule. A good portion of Twitter, as you can also imagine, shares no such sentiment. Some were amused. Some were bemused. Many were annoyed. However, there were those that took issue with the way Japan and Poland played, deeming "fair play" a bit of a misnomer given how their match ended. The frustration was apparent everywhere, with Japan being more than content to kill time at the end of the match. However, as unfair as it appears, Japan now finds itself in the Round of 16. It may be a bear of a bracket, but Japan earned its place by FIFA rules. What people think of the rules is up to them.<doc-sep>FIFA has eight tiebreakers to determine which team advances out of group stage and which does not, in case of a second-place tie. (Or which team wins a group and which comes in second, in case of a tie atop the standings.) If the first six tiebreakers don’t resolve the matter, soccer’s governing body turns to the seventh, and most controversial, measure: “Fair Play Conduct Points.”<doc-sep>
F or the first time in history, a World Cup group has been decided by Fifa's fair play rules. Japan went into their final Group H game against Poland top of the table, but fell to a 1-0 defeat. The Samurai Blue, who had needed only a draw to qualify, went behind in the 59th minute when Poland's Rafal Kurzawa floated a free-kick to the far post and an unmarked Jan Bednarek scored from close range. Until then, Japan had looked content to contain Poland in stifling heat in Volgograd and they left in-form midfielder Takashi Inui on the bench until they were chasing an equaliser. Colombia's 1-0 win over Poland meant that La Tricolor topped the group, leaving Japan and Senegal level in terms of points, goal difference and goals scored. Who has qualified for the World Cup knockout stages? However, Japan knew that their fair play score for the group stage of -4 (four yellow cards) bettered Senegal's -6 (six yellow cards) meaning Senegal would be going home as long as Japan avoided any late controversy. As such, Japan and Poland's match descended into farce in the final stages with fans booing as neither side seemed interested in attacking in the last few minutes. Fifa's fair play rules explained The fair play points system in which the number of yellow and red cards in all group matches is considered according to the following deductions: first yellow card: minus 1 point second yellow card/indirect red card: minus 3 points direct red card: minus 4 points yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points