Controversial fair-play tie-breaker which remains in play for World Cup 2022

What's the worst way to suffer elimination from the World Cup? Penalty shoot-out heartbreak? Last-minute miss that's the difference between success and failure? How about yellow card countback.

It might have passed you by in 2018, or you might have simply forgotten in the four years since - but poor discipline saw one team eliminated in Russia. Senegal were the unlucky side, finishing level on points and goal difference with Japan but missing out thanks to their card tally.

The final few tie-breakers rarely come into play. You have points, goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head records in play before we get onto disciplinary records (and the drawing of lots if even that can't separate two sides. However, if the rule affects your team, you'll be bound to notice.

Senegal and Japan both began their 2018 World Cup campaigns with 2-1 victories. The African nation beat Poland in Moscow, conceding a late Grzegorz Krychowiak consolation, while goals from Shinji Kagawa and Yuya Osako helped the AFC qualifiers beat 10-man Colombia in Saransk.

Next up was a game between the two nations, with Senegal twice leading against Japan in Yekaterinburg and twice being pegged back. Youssouf Sabaly and Check N'Doye both picked up late yellow cards in the contest, and little did they know it would make a big difference.

Matchday three brought 1-0 defeats for both. Had either team lost by more, we would have heard no more about the tie-breaker, but identical records saw Japan's superior disciplinary record - four yellows to Senegal's six - come into play.

Should the disciplinary tie-breaker be scrapped? Have your say in the comments section

No tie-breaker is perfect, but in this case it was clear to see how outside factors can play a part. Japan were a man to the good for 85 minutes in their first game after Carlos Sanchez saw red for Colombia, and avoiding cards of your own can be easier in that scenario than in a hard-fought 11 v 11 tie.

"This is one of the rules. We have a number of rules which are established in the regulations and we have to respect that," Senegal manager Aliou Cisse said at his press conference after the final group game.

"We would have preferred to be eliminated in another way, it's a pity for us but this is how it works. We knew these were the regulations."

Senegal were the only team to be eliminated on the disciplinary tie-breaker, and were also the only team eliminated by any group stage tie-breaker. They have a chance to redeem themselves this year, though, after being drawn against Qatar, Ecuador and The Netherlands in the group stages.

Cisse, who captained Senegal at the 2002 World Cup before taking over as manager in 2015, is still at the helm. The 46-year-old led the Lions of Taranga to Africa Cup of Nations glory in February, and also led his team to victory over Egypt in a World Cup qualifying play-off the following month.

The team, ranked 18th in the world, will be looking to match or surpass their performance from 2002, which remains their best in a World Cup. Back then, with Cisse in defence and Henri Camara and El-Hadji Diouf in attack, they beat holders France in the group stage and made it all the way to the quarter-finals.

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