The match between Japan and Sweden has been characterized by an open style of play, with Sweden taking the initiative. Japan, however, seems comfortable relying on counter-attacks to make their moves.
It’s a pity that Kaoru Mitoma is absent from this tournament; his talent would certainly elevate the competition.
“Me and the boy are in the stadium. Swedish fans are more noticeable (because yellow), but the Japanese fans are making all the noise. Really good atmosphere here.” Ben Mimmack shares. “If I have my permutations correct,”
As of now, Japan is set to face Brazil in the last 32, a matchup that promises to be thrilling.
Early in the other Group C match, there have already been two goals, with Tunisia netting one of them, albeit in a peculiar fashion.
At the other end of the pitch, Bernhardsson sends a powerful shot directly at Suzuki from the edge of the penalty area.
Maeda charges towards the box and tumbles after a slight nudge from Gudmundsson. It appears to be too minor for a foul, and it likely occurred just outside the area.
Sweden has set up with Gudmundsson among the three center-backs, while Lindelof plays in midfield, and Stroud takes the left wingback position. Elanga and Isak appear to be positioned as wide forwards, but this is speculative.
Sweden (3-4-2-1) includes Widell Zetterstrom; Lagerbielke, Hlen, Gudmundsson; Bernhardsson, Lindelof, Ayari, Stroud; Elanga, Isak; Gyokeres.
There were a couple of early corners for Sweden, but neither resulted in any scoring chances.
The game has commenced with Sweden kicking off from right to left.
Here’s a recap of the team lineups:
Japan (3-4-2-1) features Z Suzuki; Seko, Itakura, H Ito; Sugewara, Tanaka, Kamada, Nakamura; Doan, Maeda; Ueda.
Subs: Osako, Hayakawa, Taniguchi, Nagatomo, Watanabe, Tomiyasu, J Suzuki, J Ito, Y Suzuki, Sano, Machino, Goto, Ogawa, Shiogai.
Sweden (3-4-1-2) comprises Widell Zetterstrom; Lagerbielke, Hlen, Lindelof; Bernhardsson, Stroud, Ayari, Gudmundsson; Elanga; Gyokeres, Isak.
Subs: V Johansson, Nordfeldt, H Johansson, Svensson, Ekdal, Starfelt, Smith, Bergvall, Nygren, Sema, Karlstrom, Svanberg, Zeneli, Nilsson, Ali.
“‘Running from the comedown’ should incidentally be the title of the Official Authorised SFA Book about this campaign, but it bloody won’t be.”
Would Japan need to win by four goals, or am I mistaken in my assumptions?
For some pre-game context, here are a few results to consider:
- Ecuador 2-1 Germany
- Curacao 0-2 Cote d’Ivoire
Ecuador has qualified as one of the best third-place teams and will face either Mexico, Portugal, or Colombia in the knockout stages. I mistakenly thought they could play England, but I seem to have misplaced that thought.
As the two matches in Group E near their conclusion, Ecuador leads Germany 2-1, which spells trouble for Scotland among others, while Cote d’Ivoire is currently up 2-0 against Curacao.
Ecuador might meet England in the last 32, setting up a potentially thrilling encounter, as they are a formidable team.
Both coaches have opted for three changes in their lineups. Japan brings in Yukinari Sugawara, Ayumu Seko, and the dynamic Daizen Maeda, replacing Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kaishu Sano, and Junya Ito.
Sweden’s goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt, who faced five goals against the Netherlands, is substituted by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom. Elliot Stroud and Anthony Elanga also step into the lineup, taking the places of Benjamin Nygren and Jesper Karlstrom.
Japan (3-4-2-1) includes Z Suzuki; Seko, Itakura, H Ito; Sugewara, Tanaka, Kamada, Nakamura; Doan, Maeda; Ueda.
Sweden (3-4-1-2) features Widell Zetterstrom; Lagerbielke, Hlen, Lindelof; Bernhardsson, Stroud, Ayari, Gudmundsson; Elanga; Gyokeres, Isak.
The referee for this match is Ivan Barton from El Salvador.
Sweden has had a tumultuous campaign, marked by a resounding 5-1 victory over Tunisia followed by a heavy 5-1 defeat against the Netherlands. They are the first team since Denmark in 1986 to score and concede at least five goals in different matches during the same World Cup. While I know little about that Danish squad, they sound like quite the entertaining team.
- The Group F winners will face Morocco in Guadalupe on Monday.
- The runners-up will meet Brazil in Houston, also on Monday.
- If the third-placed team qualifies, they will be up against one of France, Norway, Germany, Mexico, or Switzerland.
Japan is not officially guaranteed a place in the knockout phase, but it’s difficult to imagine a scenario in which they would miss out. Sweden likely requires at least a draw but could still progress with a narrow loss.
Rob will be joining shortly. Until then, here’s a summary from Graham Ruthven’s daily guide on what to expect from this Group F clash:
What to Watch For
Japan has been quietly impressive throughout this World Cup. Under the guidance of Hajime Moriyasu, they easily dispatched Tunisia and controlled significant portions of their opening match against the Netherlands. This final group stage match will serve as a preparation for the knockout rounds.
Sweden’s ups and downs have been on display, as they became the first team in World Cup history to win their first match by four goals and then lose their second by the same margin. Graham Potter’s squad needs to find greater control in their game.
Player to watch: Alexander Isak from Sweden – The Liverpool forward has shown glimpses of his former self during this tournament and could prove pivotal if Potter can devise an effective system that utilizes him without disrupting the team’s balance.
