Japan seeking to shackle Swedish strike force in World Cup showdown
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group F – Netherlands v Sweden – Houston Stadium, Houston, Texas, U.S. – June 20, 2026 Sweden’s Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak before the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Troy Taormina
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June 23 : Japan will be keeping a close eye on Sweden strikers Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres when the two sides meet in their Group F finale at the World Cup on Thursday, where a guaranteed knockout-stage berth is on the line.
The two sides have had contrasting experiences so far: Japan have looked calm and collected against the Netherlands and Tunisia, while Sweden have engaged in two games against the same opposition that finished 5-1, winning one in style and completely collapsing in the other.
Regardless of what happens in the other game in the group, a win for either side will see them finish no worse than second. The top two from Group F will then be pitted against their Group C counterparts in the last 32, where Brazil, Morocco and Scotland are battling it out.
Potter’s porous side has scored 17 goals but conceded 19 since he took over from Jon Dahl Tomasson last October towards the tail-end of a woeful qualifying campaign that was only salvaged by playoff wins over Ukraine and Poland. Yet with Isak and Gyokeres up front, they are capable of scoring more than they concede.
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“They are without a doubt two of the strongest strikers in this tournament,” Japan defender Shogo Taniguchi told reporters after a recent training session. “We have to disturb and make life uncomfortable for them. They have to feel that we are close to them at all times.”
Sitting in second spot with four points from a draw with the Netherlands and a 4-0 thrashing of Tunisia, Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu may ring the changes in his team, having already used 22 of his 26 players during the tournament.
Sweden, meanwhile, will be scrambling to restore order after their opening 5-1 win over Tunisia was followed by an identical-scoreline defeat to the Netherlands, who looked able to score at will against a defence that seemed anything but comfortable.
After switching from a back three to a back four during that Dutch defeat, Sweden’s Graham Potter might tinker around the edges, but there are unlikely to be any wholesale changes, despite a strong contribution from winger Anthony Elanga off the bench.
The game takes place at the Dallas Stadium in Texas.
Source: Reuters
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