Group F of the World Cup comes to a close on Thursday. All eyes will be turned to the Dallas Stadium as Japan and Sweden face off in what will likely determine who finishes second and who finishes third. With four points, Japan are all but guaranteed qualification to the knockouts regardless of the result. For Sweden, it’s not as simple. A bad result in this match could very well be the end of their World Cup.
Match Details
Who: Japan vs. Sweden
What: World Cup Group F
Where: Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium), Arlington, Texas
When: Thursday June 25, 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT
Watch: FOX, Telemundo, Peacock ES, Fubo Sports
Battle For Second Place
The other Group F match on Thursday is Tunisia vs. Netherlands. With the Dutch heavy favorites to win and win big, this fixture between Japan and Sweden should be for second place in the group. Japan have the upper hand with one more point, so they only need a draw to finish above Sweden. If it was to be a draw, Sweden would almost certainly advance as one of the best third place teams.
While Japan are very likely to advance regardless of the result, Sweden’s future is uncertain. They did themselves a huge favor by beating Tunisia 5-1, then proceeded to undo that completely as they lost to Netherlands by the exact same scoreline. Any result against Japan will be enough to get them through, but if they lose the next few days will be very stressful for Sweden. At that point, it could very well come down to how much they lose by. Their goal differential is at zero right now, so if they lose by one or maybe even two they’d still potentially advance. Anything more than that and they’d need a lot of help from other teams.
Japan Look To Complete Unbeaten Group Stage
This Japan team has started the World Cup in great form. They battled back to earn a draw against Netherlands in their opener then dismantled Tunisia 4-0 last weekend. Japan haven’t been dealt the easiest hand but they’ve responded to adversity admirably. Three of their best players missed the tournament with injuries, one of which had to withdraw just days before the opening match. That was their captain Wataru Endō. They also lost Takefusa Kubo in that draw with the Dutch.
In the absence of Endō and Kubo as well as star attackers Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino, Japan’s other players have stepped up. Kaishu Sano has been reliable in the midfield, starting both matches and providing an assist against Tunisia. Daichi Kamada has thrived as well, scoring the equalizer against Netherlands (although he didn’t know much about it) and opening the scoring against Tunisia. Keito Nakamura has taken Mitoma’s spot at left wingback and recorded a goal contribution in both games. They have shown so far why they’re so good as a team, not just as individuals.
This match against Sweden will prove to be a test for Japan’s defense. They’re coming off a clean sheet against Tunisia where the African nation didn’t even record a shot on target, but Sweden is a much tougher test. They’ve already scored six goals this World Cup and their attack is the clear strong point. Japan have been really good defensively in the last several months. The game against the Dutch was the first time they conceded since an October fixture against Brazil. Funnily enough, the last time Sweden were held scoreless was one day before that Japan vs. Brazil game. This could very well be the toughest test of the group stage for the Japanese defense, but they’re up to it.
Everything On The Line For Sweden
As stated earlier, this match means everything for Sweden. A win or a draw will be enough to send them to the knockout stage, but a loss could mean an early exit. After qualifying for the World Cup in a questionable manner, Sweden shut up their doubters with a statement victory against Tunisia. Their star attackers ran rampant, scoring five goals in a comprehensive win. However, the roles were reversed in their next match. The Netherlands came in and did to Sweden what the Swedes did to Tunisia, beating them 5-1.
Sweden’s best two players are their strikers Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak. It wasn’t the easiest season for either of them, as Isak dealt with several injuries and Gyökeres faced heavy criticism for his performances. All of that went out the window when the World Cup started. Gyökeres was the hero in March as he scored a hat trick against Ukraine and the winner against Poland to send Sweden to the biggest tournament in sports. That form continued against Tunisia as he scored again and set up Isak for another. Isak has complemented Gyökeres very well, as he’s registered three assists so far this summer.
The problem with Sweden lies at the back. Defense has been a concern for the Swedes for quite some time and that has remained the case in the World Cup. Failing to keep a clean sheet against a poor Tunisia side was the warning sign. Conceding five against the Dutch was a rude awakening. The three-back system that Graham Potter’s side plays has left them vulnerable on the wings and it was exploited by Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville last time out. They’ll need to find a way to contain a Japan attack coming off a four goal performance if they want to advance.
Match Prediction
As is often the case with Sweden games, this will likely feature lots of goals. Sweden will be on the front foot as they need a result more than Japan do, but that could leave them open at the back. Japan have shown that they can counterattack very effectively and I expect that to lead to a couple goals. The biggest thing for Sweden will be to keep their goal differential respectable and to do that they’ll need Gyökeres and Isak to be clinical with their chances. This will be a fun end to end match and I’m backing the Japanese to secure the three points, but this one could go any direction.
Prediction: Japan 3-2 Sweden
