Japan's showdown with joint Group H leaders Senegal will be the pivotal match in determining whether the Samurai Blue advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup, head coach Akira Nishino said Saturday.

On the eve of the contest at Ekaterinburg Arena, Nishino revealed that during his halftime talk in the opening clash against Colombia, he demanded his players get three points against the South Americans after some suggested holding on for a draw with the score locked 1-1.

"During halftime against Colombia, some of the players were saying 'we've already done it,' but I said, 'We can win, and we have to win,'" Nishino said. "That's why I sent them back out with an attacking strategy and that's why we're at the top of the group."

The 63-year-old former Japan Football Association technical director said his players would once again be instructed to take maximum points against Senegal, who are coming off an impressive 2-1 win over Japan's final group-stage opponents Poland.

"To go to the third (group-stage) match is almost like a consolation. I always tell my players it's the second match that is the deciding match," Nishino said. "That is my thinking and that is what I tell my players. Even if it is slightly risky, I want them attacking."

Nishino, who famously guided the Japanese Olympic team to victory over Brazil in the "Miracle of Miami" at the 1996 Atlanta Games, said there was nothing miraculous about his side's win over a 10-man Colombia in Saransk.

"There was a question about whether I could cause (another) miracle, as beating Colombia would be a small miracle...but truthfully, we don't believe in miracles," he said.

Asked about his strategy for stopping the fast, physical and well-organized Senegalese, Nishino joked that some of his players would have to get bigger and stronger, before saying they would utilize their own speed and passing ability to overcome a size and strength disadvantage.

"I've been telling (Takashi) Inui and (Ryota) Oshima they need to put on five kilograms and grow five centimeters, but that plan has failed and we just have to figure out something else," he said.

"But there are lots of ideas we can look at. We will be at a disadvantage if it turns into a physical contest so we will be looking to make use of our speed and ball movement."

Senegal boast a wealth of attacking firepower including Liverpool star Sadio Mane and rising talent M'Baye Niang, who clinched victory against Poland with a 60th-minute goal at Moscow's Spartak Stadium.

Japan and Senegal come into the match tied at the top of the group with identical points and goal difference. A win would almost certainly secure a place in the round of 16 for the victors.