Yes, there are much more cruel ways than a penalty shootout in which a team can be eliminated in the World Cup. If you have any doubts about it just ask a Senegal supporter.The penultimate day of the Group stage matches, Colombia defeated Senegal 1-0 after the Barcelona man Yerry Mina scored his 2nd goal of the World Cup from a neatly taken Corner, after scoring his 1st one against Poland, resulting with the 2002 Quarterfinalist being knocked out of the group stages of the World Cup due to poor disciplinary record.In a match where Senegal was denied a first-half penalty after VAR determined that Tottenham's Davinson Sanchez had made a legal lunge on Liverpool's Sadio Mane. Everything seemed to be favouring Senegal as they saw Colombia's best player James Rodriguez being substituted as well as getting a 16th-minute penalty(reversed by VAR) in a first half where Senegal was clearly the better team on the pitch despite their low possession(43%), but still couldn't find the decisive goal that would have taken them through.The second half saw a much improved Colombian side taking on the pitch with the Colombians taking their first touch in the opposition penalty box in 57th-minute of the match. Despite having around 60% possession it was a corner from Quintero that made the breakthrough for the Colombians in the 74th-minute.The last 15 minutes of the match saw Senegal on the offensive searching for that elusive goal that would've taken them through, unable to find a way through Arsenal man David Ospina.As the news of Colombia leading against Senegal reached the Japanese, saw them resorting to boring football which saw the ball rarely going out of the Japanese half as they passed the ball among themselves knowing a goal being conceded or 3 more yellow cards being issued will see Japan being knocked out of the World Cup instead of Senegal.At the end with both the matches ended in 1-0 to Japan and Senegal respectively with Japan and Senegal on equal points, equal goal difference, equal goals scored and drawn result in their head to head. Despite all these Japanese prevailed over Senegal on Fairplay after receiving 2 yellow cards lesser than the Senegalese, with a pair of yellow cards in the 90th and 91st minute of their match against Japan for Cheikh N'Doye and Youssouf Sabaly proving to the decider.The result saw Senegal being the first team to be knocked out by the Fairplay rules as well as the last African team to exit this tournament. 2018 World Cup will witness the first knockout stage without the presence of an African team since 1982.Here is how Twitter reacted to the unfortunate elimination of SenegalI always knew that the sins of our African leaders will finally catch up with us. #SENCOL #WorldCup2018 #SEN #BergerToAjah pic.twitter.com/58lfuyoBYT— DaddyKay (@The_DaddyKay) June 28, 2018So Senegal is not going through because of the number of yellow cards??#SENCOL pic.twitter.com/nWUsAwi3w2— MagnumGold🍦 (@MaggieMphahlele) June 28, 2018Thank you Aliou Cissé. Thank you Senegal. You made us proud. AFRICA FOREVER! #SENCOL pic.twitter.com/LcofOId2Ik— KELVIN NG'ANG'A 🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪 (@Lewanjoksi) June 28, 2018So sad! The first time my tears came out in this world cup is now #SENCOL pic.twitter.com/2S7ZlBLShM— Naoures Hammouda (@NaouresHammouda) June 28, 2018We were refused that penalty and now we're refused a spot in the top 16. #SENCOL pic.twitter.com/xlg4H7f3Bf— Carpe (@ZakheMaX) June 28, 2018Senegal out of the world cup, because they got 2 'yellow cards' more than Japan.How ridiculous is that! #SENCOL #WorldCup #africaout pic.twitter.com/cs2egKzdLk— Mcpee Bhosha (@Mcpee10) June 28, 2018What we learnt from #JPNPOL #SENCOL....1. Colombia 🇨🇴 or Japan 🇯🇵 for England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿2. Senegal 🇸🇳 OUT on Yellow cards 😬3. No African teams advance to the last 16 😢AND4. I blame Lewandowski for missing an open goal 😂😂#WorldCup— ⚽️442oons⚽️ (@442oons) June 28, 2018It is the first time in history a team has been knocked out of the World Cup on fair play. #SENCOL pic.twitter.com/z1fdqairz4— Football 24/7 (@foetball247) June 28, 2018So Colombia edge out Senegal while Poland have defeated Japan, which has left Japan & Senegal on equal points, equal goal difference, equal goals scored! Since they tied head to head, Senegal exits based on fair play. Africa has officially left Russia #SENCOL #JPNPOL #WorldCup— ZakAndBerry (@ZakAndBerry) June 28, 2018😢 Senegal have just gone out of the #WorldCup on YELLOW cardsAnd we thought crashing out on pens was bad#SENCOL#SEN pic.twitter.com/SKp7bczoS2— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) June 28, 2018RT @FIFAWorldCup: Yerry Mina heads #COL into Round of 16, as they leap to top of Group H.#SENCOL pic.twitter.com/pT6UYRiPLV #jwave #radiko— J-WAVE 81.3FM (@jwave813fm) June 28, 2018VAR denied Nigeria a clear penalty and went on to loss that match.VAR denied Senegal a clear penalty and went on to loss the game.VAR IS NOT MEANT FOR AFRICA #SENCOL— Sire Josiah 🎯 (@TheKingJosiah_) June 28, 2018The cruellest of eliminations. Senegal are OUT of the World Cup ...Because of six YELLOW CARDS to Japan's four.They were locked on 1 W, 1L, 1 D & level H2H #SENCOL #OptusSport #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/jmWDFztoMP— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) June 28, 20183 - Juan Quintero has either scored or assisted for Colombia in each game of the 2018 World Cup (2 assists, 1 goal). Impact.#WorldCup #COL #SENCOL pic.twitter.com/0UmwazzKkF— OptaJoao (@OptaJoao) June 28, 2018James turned into manager. #SENCOL pic.twitter.com/5FSRE1NSYB— Bayern & Die Mannschaft (@eMiaSanMia) June 28, 2018Finally got that celebration dance from #COL #SENCOL 🤣😍🤩 pic.twitter.com/tfITRB6oN5— Grilled Chicken™️ (@voteforgus) June 28, 2018feeling this on a deep, spiritual level. #SENCOL pic.twitter.com/jRGymWgnSy— Ann Odong 🐨 (@AnnOdong) June 28, 2018I’m sorry, but to go out on yellow cards is a pathetic rule by FIFA. They should use shots or corners or something else.And to make matters worse, Colombia are going through despite having had a red card. Fair play?#SENCOL— DZ Football 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇩🇿 (@DZFootball_en) June 28, 2018Senegal are eliminated because they had more yellow cards then Japan. What a way to lose out. #WorldCup #SENCOL pic.twitter.com/gh6YQBCqrJ— Bolarinwa Olajide (@iambolar) June 28, 2018#SEN become 1st team to go out of World Cup because of disciplinary rules.#WorldCup #SENCOL— ⚽️🏆𝓜𝓻.𝓜𝓪𝓭𝓻𝓲𝓭 ❤️🇱🇰🇪🇸 (@Nadeez__) June 28, 2018Senegal getting knocked out of the World Cup for more yellow cards than Japan is ridiculous #sencol #worldcup— Eric Kilroy (@EricKilroy2) June 28, 2018FIFA has successfully eliminated Africa with their VAR..#SENCOL pic.twitter.com/SaJ2tjbbvO— King Selepe Lesedi🔵 (@DJKingSelepe) June 28, 2018The Fifa #WorldCup2018 should just be changed to European, American and Asian cup if they will use such unfair rules to remove out all #African countries. Nigeria deserved to win the #NIGARG but the damn referee was #racists#SENCOL— Lucien Mendela (@Lucien_Mendela) June 28, 2018Fair-Play as a criteria is just stupid if there are teams like French and Denmark or japan and poland which play like partners #SENCOL— Kevin Schmidt (@erdnuss4) June 28, 2018Not all African teams are out of the world cup... There's still France #WorldCup #Rusia2018 #SENCOL pic.twitter.com/iyA18uUVEq— David King K. (@IlDavidKadiadia) June 28, 2018Senegal's new flag #SENCOL pic.twitter.com/tE2P8DwfgY— Hitei (Cans) (@HiteiGG) June 28, 2018