Japan Sweden ended 1-1 at Dallas Stadium on Thursday, sending both into the World Cup round of 32. Daizen Maeda's second-half opener was cancelled out by Anthony Elanga. Japan finish second in Group F and meet Brazil.
Japan Sweden ended 1-1 at Dallas Stadium on Thursday, sending both into the World Cup round of 32. Daizen Maeda's second-half opener was cancelled out by Anthony Elanga. Japan finish second in Group F and meet Brazil.
Four days after a 4-0 win over Tunisia, Hajime Moriyasu's side closed the group stage with a 1-1 draw against Sweden. The point at Dallas Stadium was enough to confirm second place in Group F.
Both teams advanced. Japan finished on five points, Sweden third on four, behind group winners, the Netherlands. Sweden's tally secured one of the eight best third-placed slots across the 12 groups.
The first half was flat, springing to life only near the interval. Keito Nakamura forced Jacob Widell Zetterstrom into a full-stretch save, before Viktor Gyokeres saw a deflected effort loop wide.
Japan struck in the 56th minute. Ritsu Doan, fed by Ayase Ueda, slid the ball between Sweden's centre-backs for the unmarked Maeda to finish past Zetterstrom.
The lead lasted six minutes. Elanga bent a left-footed strike from the corner of the area over the Japanese defence and past an unsighted Zion Suzuki. It was the winger's second goal of the tournament.
Elanga credited his manager after the leveller. "I had the feeling throughout the game that I wanted to do something today," he said. "I really have to thank Graham for the confidence he's given me since day one."
He added: "I'm happy I scored, of course I want to win, but in the end everyone shouted at me that we need to get one point. But I'm happy we're through, and now we have to try to play even better in the next match."
Suzuki kept Japan level with a few decisive saves: "I think we achieved what was important, conceding the minimum, not losing, and securing at least a point," the goalkeeper said. "Being able to carry this unbeaten momentum into the Brazil match next is definitely positive."
Maeda's goal was Japan's seventh of the tournament, their highest tally for a single World Cup. That surpassed the six they managed when reaching the round of 16 in Russia in 2018.
Japan remain unbeaten in the competition, and they are through to the knockout stage for the third consecutive World Cup.
Sweden, who had lost 5-1 to the Netherlands in their previous match, have also reached the knockout round.
Japan face five-time world champions Brazil in the round of 32 in Houston on Monday. Sweden meet the winner of Group I in New York, with France and Norway still to settle that group.
