Keisuke Honda was Japan's hero once again as he rescued a 2-2 draw with Senegal as the two teams remained joint-top of World Cup Group H
In a game of goalkeeping errors, Senegal took an early lead when Eiji Kawashima turned Youssouf Sabaly's shot into the body of Sadio Mane for a goal he knew little about after 11 minutes
Senegal had the better of the first half, and Japan offered little until Takashi Inui's curler beat Khadim Ndiaye 34 minutes in
The Asian side would go onto enjoy their best spell of the game just after half-time, but it was cut short when Moussa Wague fired Sabaly's low cross high into the net from a tight angle (71)
Honda, Japan's record World Cup goalscorer, would have the final word, netting from close range (78) after goalkeeper Ndiaye had missed a cross completely, for his fourth goal in a World Cup finals
With a win all-but securing a rare last-16 appearance for either of the sides, it was Senegal who flew out of the blocks in Ekaterinberg, and Mane was denied an opening goal inside two minutes when Hiroki Sakai's slide-tackle robbed him 12 yards out
Mane was handed his first goal of the tournament with a big slice of luck soon after, though, when Sabaly picked up the pieces from Wague's cross, firing goalwards before Kawashima turned the ball into the Liverpool forward, who inadvertently touched it over the line
After that, Senegal continued to control proceedings in the opening half-hour, but when Japan found their confidence, a goal soon followed
Yuto Nagatomo was spotted over the top and when the Senegal defence caught up with him on the left, Inui took over and bent the ball on his favoured right foot inside the far post
After half-time, Japan continued improving, and should have found themselves in front
 Yuya Osako somehow failed to connect with Gaku Shibasaki's cross eight yards out, and Inui struck the bar with a wonderful effort from wide on the left
But it was at that point where Senegal looked to have broken Japan's hearts, as Wague's well-placed finish put the African side back in front
That lead would only last for eight minutes, though, with Japan refusing to crumble - and Honda fired in Inui's cut-back after Ndiaye had got himself in a real mess from a cross
Japan continued to press in the closing stages but were forced to settle for a point, leaving Group H still finely poised at the top
Eibar winger Inui was brilliant for Japan and perhaps unlucky not to get a second goal on the night, but grabbing one, plus an assist for the second, was a fine return from a committed performance
He lost the ball less than any of Japan's starters, only eight times, and only Gen Shoji (82
6 per cent) had a higher rate of pass completion in the Senegal half (82
4 per cent)
Not always in the game, attempting only 26 passes in 87 minutes, his contribution was nonetheless vital to the result, and when he did have the ball, he generally came up with something
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