MOSCOW — FIFA plans to review a rule that resulted in Senegal being eliminated from the World Cup because it had more yellow cards than Japan, but is unlikely to remove the measure.

“We will review after this World Cup, we will see what the feedback and the situation is,” FIFA’s competition director Colin Smith said Friday, “but as it currently stands we don’t see any need to change.”

The rule, in use for the first time at the World Cup, caused a stir when the last games in Group H were being played simultaneously and it became obvious it would be needed as a tiebreaker between two teams equal in every other way.

Japan barely attacked in the end of its 1-0 loss to Poland – preferring instead to take a safety-first approach against a team that was already out of contention – because it was due to qualify on its disciplinary record ahead of Senegal.

At the time Senegal was losing 1-0 to Colombia, which jumped from third spot to top of the group.

Previously the situation would have been resolved with the drawing of lots, which would have meant that during the game no team would have been assured of going through in the same circumstances.

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“What we want to avoid is the drawing of lots. We believe that teams should go forward on their performance and what happens on the pitch, not in a draw bowl,” Smith said. “The preference is that slots and teams advancing is on the basis of goals and results, and there’s clear winners.” He said the fair play rule was clear to all teams.

URUGUAY: Luis Suarez said any personal rivalry he may have with Cristiano Ronaldo from their time playing against each other in the Spanish league won’t be a factor Saturday when Uruguay meets Portugal.

Ronaldo and Suarez have seen plenty of each other the last four years with Suarez playing for Barcelona and Ronaldo at Real Madrid.

A RUSSIAN GOVERNOR blamed a hacker after comments linking Germany’s World Cup performance to the two World Wars were posted on his Twitter account.

The message on the account of Oleg Korolyov, the governor of the Lipetsk region, stated that “Germany performed disgracefully at the 2018 World Cup only because on this land they unleashed two World Wars and the souls of tens of millions of victims took revenge and will take revenge on them.”

FIFA IS CONTENT for now not to give yellow cards to players who appeal for video reviews with a TV-screen gesture.

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Referees can caution players for gestures like showing an imaginary card to an opponent, or sarcastically applauding a call, but they haven’t yet booked any of the numerous players pleading for a review.

COLIN SMITH, the FIFA competitions director, said VIP fans are often to blame for empty seats at games.

“We want every seat filled inside the stadium. The reality is that there are some no-shows,” Smith said.

CROATIA: Midfielder Ivan Rakitic said teammate Luka Modric plays “from a different planet” and is the best to have played for the national team.

ENGLAND: Midfielder Fabian Delph returned home temporarily because his wife was due to give birth to their third child.

England will next play Tuesday in a round of 16 game against Colombia in Moscow.


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