JAPAN 1-1 SWEDEN | BOTH into the Last 32 🇯🇵🇸🇪 Maeda & a 28.9m Elanga SCREAMER

A 1-1 draw in Arlington — and it sent BOTH Japan and Sweden into the Round of 32. 🇯🇵🇸🇪

⚽ THE GOALS (multi-angle)
• Maeda 56′ — Ritsu Doan’s disguised through-ball, finished into the bottom corner
• Elanga 62′ — a stunning 28.9-metre left-footed screamer to level it

🌟 MAN OF THE MATCH: Daizen Maeda (7.9) — Japan’s goal from the game’s only big chance, a PERFECT 11/11 passing, 4 tackles and 4 clearances. A tireless two-way masterclass.

🔥 ANTHONY ELANGA: an 8.0 rating and a 28.9m screamer — one of Sweden’s FOUR goals from outside the box this group stage, the most by any team at a World Cup since Brazil 2006. He’s also the first Sweden player to score in consecutive World Cups since 1994. (He slumped at full-time, not even realising the draw had sent them through 😅)

📊 THE STATS: Japan created the better chances (xG 1.31 to 0.42, the only 2 big chances, 55% possession), while Sweden’s 8 corners and outside-box threat earned the point.

📋 GROUP F: Netherlands finish top, Japan 2nd, Sweden through 3rd. Tunisia head home.

🇧🇷 AND THE BLOCKBUSTER IS SET — Japan face BRAZIL in the Round of 32. Sweden march on too.

We backed over 2.5 goals — that one just missed at 1-1, but the story is bigger. The real World Cup is just beginning.

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