Japan will face Brazil in a World Cup last-32 clash after drawing 1-1 with Sweden on Thursday to send both teams through behind the Netherlands in Group F. The match, played in front of 70,000 spectators in Texas, saw Japan take the lead through Daizen Maeda after the break, only for Anthony Elanga to equalize minutes later. Japan, seen as dark horses for the tournament, held on despite late pressure from Sweden.
Group F Standings
The Netherlands finished top of Group F with seven points, followed by Japan with five, Sweden with four, and Tunisia with zero. Sweden qualified as one of the best third-placed finishers. The Dutch will face Morocco in Monterrey, while Japan will take on Brazil in Houston.
Japan's Path to the Knockouts
Japan's coach, Hajime Moriyasu, acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting Brazil's motivation after a previous friendly loss to Japan. "Perhaps because of that match, they will be motivated even more," he said. "Yet we believe that there's a chance for us to win."
Sweden's Performance
Graham Potter's Sweden showed resilience, with Potter making tactical changes including a new goalkeeper and starting Elanga. "We had to defend the box and wide areas better," Potter said. "The boys were fantastic. Over the course of the game it was a pretty fair result and arguably we were slightly the better team in the second half."
Next Steps for Sweden
Sweden's next opponent remains uncertain, though France is a potential match-up. Potter emphasized the need for vigilance: "We need to be on our toes in terms of logistics, that's the fun part of the tournament."
