JaBy Our Football Correspondent at Dallas Stadium
The World Cup exploded into life in the Lone Star State last night as Newcastle United winger Anthony Elanga produced a moment of absolute wizardry to rescue Graham Potter’s Sweden and secure a dramatic passage into the knockout rounds.
On a scorching night at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the Swedes looked to be heading out through the trapdoor of Group F when Celtic’s speed-demon Daizen Maeda put a dazzling Japan ahead. But step forward Anthony Elanga.
The former Manchester United starlet etched his name into Swedish folklore with a breathtaking solo run and curled finish that left Japanese keeper Zion Suzuki clutching at thin air, confirming a tense 1-1 draw that sends both nations roaring into the Round of 32.
For the first 45 minutes, this final Group F encounter looked less like a high-stakes World Cup blockbuster and more like an organized chess match.
With qualification permutations weighing heavy on the minds of both managers, caution was the order of the day. Japan dominated the ball early on, moving it with the crisp, automated precision that has become the hallmark of Hajime Moriyasu’s golden generation.
Japan registerted the lions’ share of possession in the opening period, hoarding 58% of the ball as they probed a resolute Swedish backline. Yet, clear-cut openings were rarer than a cool breeze in the Texas desert.
The game’s first real flashpoint arrived on 22 minutes when Daizen Maeda peeled off his marker to meet an inviting cross, only to head agonizingly over the crossbar from six yards out.
Potter’s men, organized but lacking dynamic spark, suffered an early blow when defensive rock Isak Hien was forced off with a hamstring injury after picking up a yellow card on 31 minutes. He was replaced by Tottenham starlet Lucas Bergvall, forcing a tactical re-shuffle. Japan suffered their own defensive blow moments later when Ko Itakura was forced off, replaced by Shogo Taniguchi.
Just as the referee looked at his watch for half-time, the game finally sparkled. Keito Nakamura unleashed a low, venomous strike from inside the box after a brilliant layoff from Maeda.
The ball seemed destined for the bottom corner, but Swedish stopper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom pulled off a spectacular full-stretch diving save to turn it around the post. At the whistle, it remained a cagey, goalless stalemate.
Whatever Moriyasu said to his players at the break clearly struck a chord. The Samurai Blue emerged for the second half like men possessed. Defensive midfielder Ao Tanaka fired a warning shot wide within seconds of the restart, signaling Japan’s intent to play for a win rather than settle for the solitary point they required.
In the 56th minute, the breakthrough arrived, and it was a goal made in football heaven. Ritsu Doan became the architect, cutting inside from the right flank with breathtaking poise.
He exchanged a telepathic, intricate series of one-two passes with Ayase Ueda on the edge of the area, slicing open the Swedish center-backs like a hot knife through butter. Doan threaded a perfectly weighted pass into the path of the oncoming Maeda, who slid in with perfect timing to guide the ball past a helpless Zetterstrom into the far corner.
It was Japan’s seventh goal of the tournament—surpassing their previous historic record set in 2018. Dallas was rocking, and the Swedish dream was dangling by a thread. Enter Anthony Elanga.
Just six minutes after Japan’s opener, when Swedish anxiety threatened to turn into full panic, the Newcastle winger picked up a loose ball on the left flank. Facing down two Japanese defenders, Elanga cut sharply inside onto his favoured left foot.
With zero backlift and immense confidence, he unleashed an unbelievable, curling effort from just outside the penalty box. The ball flew on an majestic arc over the leaping Japanese defenders and sailed past the unsighted Zion Suzuki into the top corner.
It was his second goal in two World Cup matches, and the Swedish bench erupted into pure unadulterated ecstasy.
The equalizer cracked the game wide open as both sides abandoned their tactical handbrakes. Sweden, buoyed by Elanga’s moment of genius, suddenly looked the more likely to snatch a winner.
Newcastle frontman Alexander Isak, who had cut an isolated figure for most of the match, suddenly found his rhythm. Just minutes after the equalizer, Isak burst into the penalty area and unleashed a low, powerful drive.
Zion Suzuki, showing exactly why he is regarded as one of Asia’s finest young goalkeepers, produced a stunning sprawling save to his left to keep the scores level.
The closing stages turned into a battle of set-pieces. Sweden weaponized their physical advantage, racking up a total of eight corner kicks over the ninety minutes compared to Japan’s meager tally of just two.
Deep into stoppage time, the Swedes thought they had won it. A towering header from Isak seemed destined to break Japanese hearts, but Suzuki pulled off another gravity-defying tip to push the ball onto the crossbar before smothering the loose ball.
When the final whistle blew, the statistics told the story of a fiercely contested battle. Japan dominated the ball with 54% total possession, reflecting their midfield control, while Sweden proved far more direct, making their presence felt in the air.
Out of the match’s total foul count, Sweden committed twelve fouls to Japan’s ten, earning two yellow cards for Hien and Viktor Gyokeres, while Japan escaped with just a single booking for substitute Taniguchi.
In terms of efficiency, both sides were remarkably even, each registering four shots on target out of eleven total attempts for Japan and twelve for the Swedes.
The hard-fought point means Japan finishes Group F unbeaten with five points, taking second place behind group-winners Netherlands. Their reward? A mouth-watering, blockbuster Round of 32 clash against five-time world champions Brazil on Monday.
Sweden, meanwhile, finishes third with four points, which is mathematically guaranteed to see them advance as one of the best third-placed teams. Graham Potter’s tournament lives to fight another day, but he owes a massive debt of gratitude to the magical boots of Anthony Elanga.
