Leon Osman
Former Everton midfielder on BBC Two

It is as if Japan have gone through and Akira Nishino is resting his players. He has left two of his most influential players on the bench in Makoto Hasebe and Takashi Inui.

That's the type of change you make when you are already assured of qualification. If the gamble works you might say it is a masterstroke.

Under way in Volgograd.

I'll let you know what happens in the other game as well as 'as it stands' tables and permutations.

Is this Adam Nawalka's last game in charge of Poland? He's been in charge since 2013 and has led them to eighth in the Fifa world rankings, although that was boosted by sneaky friendly tactics.

Poland have nothing to play for today - except trying to avoid their first winless World Cup since 1938.

Michael O'Neill
Northern Ireland manager on BBC Two

Poland have been a major disappointment. I thought they had the potential to do well in the tournament.

Some of their bigger players have had poor seasons, Grzegorz Krychowiak being one of them. Kamil Grosicki is another who has had a poor club season. Robert Lewandowski has had very little impact, and after two games they are going home.

National anthems. Today is the last time we will hear Poland's at this World Cup. But is this is the final time for Japan's too?

Leon Osman
Former Everton midfielder on BBC Two

Japan have been one of the surprise packages of the World Cup. Going into the tournament with as much upheaval as they had, sacking the manager and he then had one game in charge before he had to select his squad, it's not great preparation. But they have been pretty good. They are in a great position to qualify.

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Image source, Reuters

Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima has made a couple of big errors so far.

There was some chat that he could be dropped for 23-year-old Kosuke Nakamura today - but the manager kept faith with the 35-year-old, who wins an 87th cap today.

"I was helped by my team-mates last time, and this time I would like to help them."

Terry Butcher
Ex-England captain on BBC Radio 5 live

From what I have seen of Poland they are absolutely hopeless. In the first game against Senegal they were very poor, toothless even with Robert Lewandowski. The supply to him was awful, they were very poor.

I just think now the shackles are off, you will see a different Poland.

BBC Two

BBC Two TV coverage of this game is just starting now. Watch at the top of this page or on an actual TV.

Japan hold the World Cup record for most matches played without ever receiving a red card - 19 matches.

So it would be apt if they were to end up going through via fair play today.

Japan have won each of their two encounters against Poland, winning 5-0 in February 1996 and 2-0 in March 2002.

But they have failed to score in four of their last five World Cup games against European opponents (W1 D2 L2), with their only goals coming in a 3-1 victory over Denmark in 2010.

Poland’s only World Cup meeting with an Asian side came in 2002 – losing 2-0 in the group stages against South Korea.

This is Poland's third consecutive World Cup in which they have been eliminated after two games (after 2002 and 2006).

They won their final group match both times - against the United States and Costa Rica respectively.

They have not kept a clean sheet at the World Cup since winning 1-0 against Portugal in 1986, conceding 23 goals across 10 games since then.

Here's Poland's only goal of the tournament so far.

Image source, EPA

Japan sacked coach Vahid Halilhodzic in April and replaced him with Akira Nishino.

The 63-year-old only had one game in charge before he had to name his 23-man squad. But they are unbeaten in their opening two World Cup games and will be in the last 16 so long as they don't lose today.

Here's Japan's equaliser against Senegal.

Keisuke Honda’s goal made him the first Japanese player to score at three different World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018).

Honda is also on the bench.

Here's Japan's winner against Colombia. The goalscorer, Yuya Osako, is on the bench today.

Have a look at some goals from previous games...

Image source, Reuters

Poland captain Robert Lewandowski: "We realise we didn't do well enough but that is something we cannot overcome.

"We fought as much as we could but that was all we could do, bearing in mind the problems we had before the World Cup in terms of injuries and form."