Mane key to Senegal's hopes; Tunisia's Nagguez keen to end 40-yr drought

Samara: The FIFA World Cup 2018 Group H is tantalisingly poised with Senegal, Colombia and Japan all in with a chance to make it to the Round of 16. As things stand, Senegal, with four points from two matches, meet Colombia, who have three points from two games, and both would be hoping for the best. Senegal must cut out the defensive errors and find a way to get Sadio Mane firing like he does for Liverpool if they are to tame Colombia and reach the World Cup last 16.

Coach Aliou Cisse was critical of his pacy and powerful side after their 2-2 draw with Japan on Sunday, saying their opponents were the better team, and called on forward Mane to step it up.

"Frankly, we were not very good," concluded Cisse, Senegal captain in their run to the quarter-finals in 2002, their only previous appearance at a World Cup. Cisse was particularly unhappy with the way that Senegal twice threw away the lead in Yekaterinburg.

Substitute Keisuke Honda's leveller, 12 minutes from time, was an especially poor goal to give away as goalkeeper Khadim N'Diaye flapped at a cross. Victory would have all but propelled Senegal into the last 16, but they now face a Colombia side in Samara who have their tails up following a classy 3-0 win over abject Poland.

Going into the final round of games in Group H, Japan and Senegal have four points, Colombia have three and pointless Poland are already eliminated. It means that a draw for Cisse's side will be enough to progress.

Cisse, who needs to find a way to get Mane more involved, was unimpressed.

"A player like Sadio Mane is a player with a lot of expectations and he is one of the players under the spotlight," said Cisse.

"He can do better, but today he was better than against Poland and he needs to do better against Colombia."

If there was something of a negative vibe around Senegal, Colombia are going in the opposite direction. They became the first South American side to lose to an Asian one at a World Cup when they were beaten 2-1 by Japan in their opener.

Meanwhile, back-to-back defeats to Belgium (5-2) and England (2-1) has consigned Tunisia to an early exit in Group G, alongside Thursday's opponents Panama.

Tunisia are winless in their last 13 World Cup matches, with four draws and nine losses, since winning their first ever World Cup match in 1978 against Mexico. Hamdi Nagguez has revealed Tunisia are determined to end their long-standing losing streak as they bow out of this year's event in Saransk.