The China Mail - Japan to play Brazil in World Cup knockouts after nervy Sweden draw

In a game in front of 70,000 in Texas that sprang into life in the second half, Daizen Maeda gave Japan the lead soon after the break but Anthony Elanga levelled minutes later.

Japan, fancied as dark horses to go far in North America, were hanging on by the end as Alexander Isak and Elanga both went close in injury time.

The Netherlands finished top of a competitive group with seven points, with Japan on five, Sweden four and Tunisia on the plane home with zero.

Graham Potter's Sweden have also qualified for the knockouts as one of the best third-placed finishers.

The Netherlands, who eased past Tunisia 3-1, will face Morocco in Monterrey in the knockout rounds while Japan play Brazil in Houston.

Japan, Sweden and the Netherlands all came into the final round of matches with a chance of winning a tough group.

The Dutch and Japan, who drew 2-2 when they met, were virtually assured of progressing no matter what.

Sweden were also in a healthy position before kickoff, having thrashed Tunisia 5-1 before losing by the same scoreline to the Netherlands.

Only Tunisia -- who faced the Dutch at the same time on Thursday in Kansas City -- were out of contention.

The giant screen that hangs over the pitch at the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys flashed up two early goals for the Dutch, leaving them in pole position in the group.

Japan and Sweden were safe in the knowledge that a point was not a disaster, and the paucity of chances in the first period reflected that.

The Premier League duo of Isak and Viktor Gyokeres had very little impact in the Swedish attack, as a technically superior Japan dominated the ball.

On the stroke of the break Japan had the best chance of the first half, winger Keito Nakamura forcing goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom to turn the ball around his post.

The second period started in much the same way, all-action Japan midfielder Ao Tanaka jigging his way into space but blasting over the bar.

Hajime Moriyasu's team turned up the heat, and they took the lead on 56 minutes when the dangerous Celtic attacker Maeda rolled the ball beyond the on-rushing Zetterstrom after being slid in by Ritsu Doan.

The lead lasted only six minutes, the Newcastle winger Elanga cutting in from the right and firing with his left from the outside the box and beyond goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.

Suddenly Sweden were on top, and Suzuki denied Isak, only for the hydration break to interrupt their momentum and swing it back to Japan.

But Japan were flagging badly by the end, as Sweden went in search of a winner that would have catapulted them into a direct knockout berth.

Suzuki kept Elanga out in the third of seven added minutes, then the goalkeeper stopped an Isak header from close range.

K.Leung--ThChM