by Craig Laycock
Original article:

Japan drew 1-1 with Sweden to send them through to the Round of 32, but at the cost of facing Brazil in the first knock-out round.
Sweden, too, will qualify for the next stage with 4 points, with a possibility of playing France in the next round, depending on what happens in that group.
***
Japan 1 - 1 Sweden
What started out as a fairly tepid affair ended with an intriguing draw, with Japan controlling the opening stages of the match and Sweden kicking into gear in the second half to try to win the game.
Japan took the lead with a beautifully worked goal, with one of the best through balls you’ll see from Ritsu Doan to play in the perfectly timed run of Daizen Maeda, splitting the defence with incredible vision and cueing up Maeda to smash past the keeper.
You could argue a draw would suit both these sides, with Japan being guaranteed second with that result, and Sweden certain to qualify as one of the 8 best third placed teams.
Six minutes after Japan took the lead, the draw was on. A moment of individual brilliance from Anthony Elanga brought Sweden back into the game, striking a curling shot from 22 yards to ripple the inside side-netting and leave the keeper truly beaten.
Japan were holding on a little later in the game, and keeper Suzuki made a great stop from an Isak header in the dying stages of the match to secure the point.

Their rewards? Japan will face Brazil while Sweden will probably face France in the knock-outs. Oof. Still, Brazil won’t relish facing Japan.
***
Tunisia 1 - 3 Netherlands
Tunisia crashed out of the tournament with 0 points and -10 goal difference after another defeat, this time at the hands of group winners the Netherlands.
Our pre-tournament pick of players to watch for Tunisia, Ellyes Skhiri, had an unfortunately disastrous tournament, with mistakes against Sweden and Japan topped off with a terrible own goal today in the third minute of the game.

He lashed a Denzel Dumfries cross into the back of the net in dramatic fashion from close range to close out a tournament the Frankfurt midfielder will definitely like to forget.
7 minutes in and it was 2-0 as Virgil van Dijk headed a free kick to Brian Brobbey, who smashed home. But despite the setback, Tunisia were not dead and buried, pulling a goal back through Mastouri from a corner kick.
But the Dutch were clear soon after with Jan Paul van Hecke’s header from a corner flicked off Ben Slimane for another Tunisian own goal.
A professional job done for Netherlands, and a disastrous tournament for Tunisia who may be questioning the logic of sacking their manager mid-tournament and throwing their preparation against organised opponents out with the bathwater.
***
Final table:
1st - Group Winners | Netherlands |
2nd - Qualified | Japan |
3rd - Must finish as one of top 8 3rd teams | Sweden |
4th - Eliminated | Tunisia |
6 min read
Group F Concludes: Netherlands win, Japan 2nd
Nether seen anything quite like it.
6 min read

Japan drew 1-1 with Sweden to send them through to the Round of 32, but at the cost of facing Brazil in the first knock-out round.
Sweden, too, will qualify for the next stage with 4 points, with a possibility of playing France in the next round, depending on what happens in that group.
***
Japan 1 - 1 Sweden
What started out as a fairly tepid affair ended with an intriguing draw, with Japan controlling the opening stages of the match and Sweden kicking into gear in the second half to try to win the game.
Japan took the lead with a beautifully worked goal, with one of the best through balls you’ll see from Ritsu Doan to play in the perfectly timed run of Daizen Maeda, splitting the defence with incredible vision and cueing up Maeda to smash past the keeper.
You could argue a draw would suit both these sides, with Japan being guaranteed second with that result, and Sweden certain to qualify as one of the 8 best third placed teams.
Six minutes after Japan took the lead, the draw was on. A moment of individual brilliance from Anthony Elanga brought Sweden back into the game, striking a curling shot from 22 yards to ripple the inside side-netting and leave the keeper truly beaten.
Japan were holding on a little later in the game, and keeper Suzuki made a great stop from an Isak header in the dying stages of the match to secure the point.

Their rewards? Japan will face Brazil while Sweden will probably face France in the knock-outs. Oof. Still, Brazil won’t relish facing Japan.
***
Tunisia 1 - 3 Netherlands
Tunisia crashed out of the tournament with 0 points and -10 goal difference after another defeat, this time at the hands of group winners the Netherlands.
Our pre-tournament pick of players to watch for Tunisia, Ellyes Skhiri, had an unfortunately disastrous tournament, with mistakes against Sweden and Japan topped off with a terrible own goal today in the third minute of the game.

He lashed a Denzel Dumfries cross into the back of the net in dramatic fashion from close range to close out a tournament the Frankfurt midfielder will definitely like to forget.
7 minutes in and it was 2-0 as Virgil van Dijk headed a free kick to Brian Brobbey, who smashed home. But despite the setback, Tunisia were not dead and buried, pulling a goal back through Mastouri from a corner kick.
But the Dutch were clear soon after with Jan Paul van Hecke’s header from a corner flicked off Ben Slimane for another Tunisian own goal.
A professional job done for Netherlands, and a disastrous tournament for Tunisia who may be questioning the logic of sacking their manager mid-tournament and throwing their preparation against organised opponents out with the bathwater.
***
Final table:
1st - Group Winners | Netherlands |
2nd - Qualified | Japan |
3rd - Must finish as one of top 8 3rd teams | Sweden |
4th - Eliminated | Tunisia |
Group F Concludes: Netherlands win, Japan 2nd
Nether seen anything quite like it.


Original article:
Last updated:
Japan drew 1-1 with Sweden to send them through to the Round of 32, but at the cost of facing Brazil in the first knock-out round.
Sweden, too, will qualify for the next stage with 4 points, with a possibility of playing France in the next round, depending on what happens in that group.
***
Japan 1 - 1 Sweden
What started out as a fairly tepid affair ended with an intriguing draw, with Japan controlling the opening stages of the match and Sweden kicking into gear in the second half to try to win the game.
Japan took the lead with a beautifully worked goal, with one of the best through balls you’ll see from Ritsu Doan to play in the perfectly timed run of Daizen Maeda, splitting the defence with incredible vision and cueing up Maeda to smash past the keeper.
You could argue a draw would suit both these sides, with Japan being guaranteed second with that result, and Sweden certain to qualify as one of the 8 best third placed teams.
Six minutes after Japan took the lead, the draw was on. A moment of individual brilliance from Anthony Elanga brought Sweden back into the game, striking a curling shot from 22 yards to ripple the inside side-netting and leave the keeper truly beaten.
Japan were holding on a little later in the game, and keeper Suzuki made a great stop from an Isak header in the dying stages of the match to secure the point.

Their rewards? Japan will face Brazil while Sweden will probably face France in the knock-outs. Oof. Still, Brazil won’t relish facing Japan.
***
Tunisia 1 - 3 Netherlands
Tunisia crashed out of the tournament with 0 points and -10 goal difference after another defeat, this time at the hands of group winners the Netherlands.
Our pre-tournament pick of players to watch for Tunisia, Ellyes Skhiri, had an unfortunately disastrous tournament, with mistakes against Sweden and Japan topped off with a terrible own goal today in the third minute of the game.

He lashed a Denzel Dumfries cross into the back of the net in dramatic fashion from close range to close out a tournament the Frankfurt midfielder will definitely like to forget.
7 minutes in and it was 2-0 as Virgil van Dijk headed a free kick to Brian Brobbey, who smashed home. But despite the setback, Tunisia were not dead and buried, pulling a goal back through Mastouri from a corner kick.
But the Dutch were clear soon after with Jan Paul van Hecke’s header from a corner flicked off Ben Slimane for another Tunisian own goal.
A professional job done for Netherlands, and a disastrous tournament for Tunisia who may be questioning the logic of sacking their manager mid-tournament and throwing their preparation against organised opponents out with the bathwater.
***
Final table:
1st - Group Winners | Netherlands |
2nd - Qualified | Japan |
3rd - Must finish as one of top 8 3rd teams | Sweden |
4th - Eliminated | Tunisia |
6 min read
Group F Concludes: Netherlands win, Japan 2nd
Nether seen anything quite like it.


Japan drew 1-1 with Sweden to send them through to the Round of 32, but at the cost of facing Brazil in the first knock-out round.
Sweden, too, will qualify for the next stage with 4 points, with a possibility of playing France in the next round, depending on what happens in that group.
***
Japan 1 - 1 Sweden
What started out as a fairly tepid affair ended with an intriguing draw, with Japan controlling the opening stages of the match and Sweden kicking into gear in the second half to try to win the game.
Japan took the lead with a beautifully worked goal, with one of the best through balls you’ll see from Ritsu Doan to play in the perfectly timed run of Daizen Maeda, splitting the defence with incredible vision and cueing up Maeda to smash past the keeper.
You could argue a draw would suit both these sides, with Japan being guaranteed second with that result, and Sweden certain to qualify as one of the 8 best third placed teams.
Six minutes after Japan took the lead, the draw was on. A moment of individual brilliance from Anthony Elanga brought Sweden back into the game, striking a curling shot from 22 yards to ripple the inside side-netting and leave the keeper truly beaten.
Japan were holding on a little later in the game, and keeper Suzuki made a great stop from an Isak header in the dying stages of the match to secure the point.

Their rewards? Japan will face Brazil while Sweden will probably face France in the knock-outs. Oof. Still, Brazil won’t relish facing Japan.
***
Tunisia 1 - 3 Netherlands
Tunisia crashed out of the tournament with 0 points and -10 goal difference after another defeat, this time at the hands of group winners the Netherlands.
Our pre-tournament pick of players to watch for Tunisia, Ellyes Skhiri, had an unfortunately disastrous tournament, with mistakes against Sweden and Japan topped off with a terrible own goal today in the third minute of the game.

He lashed a Denzel Dumfries cross into the back of the net in dramatic fashion from close range to close out a tournament the Frankfurt midfielder will definitely like to forget.
7 minutes in and it was 2-0 as Virgil van Dijk headed a free kick to Brian Brobbey, who smashed home. But despite the setback, Tunisia were not dead and buried, pulling a goal back through Mastouri from a corner kick.
But the Dutch were clear soon after with Jan Paul van Hecke’s header from a corner flicked off Ben Slimane for another Tunisian own goal.
A professional job done for Netherlands, and a disastrous tournament for Tunisia who may be questioning the logic of sacking their manager mid-tournament and throwing their preparation against organised opponents out with the bathwater.
***
Final table:
1st - Group Winners | Netherlands |
2nd - Qualified | Japan |
3rd - Must finish as one of top 8 3rd teams | Sweden |
4th - Eliminated | Tunisia |
6 min read



