The Asian representatives are showing impressive form and have a great chance to advance from the group stage for the third consecutive time, while Sweden must achieve a positive result to avoid the risk of an early exit.
Following a courageous performance in their 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening match, Japan continued to impress with a 4-0 victory over Tunisia. This win propelled Coach Hajime Moriyasu's team to a favorable position in Group F. A draw against Sweden would guarantee Japan a place in the knockout round, and they even have a chance to compete for the top spot.
Japan's strength stems from their incredible consistency. They are currently on a four-match unbeaten streak at the World Cup, with two wins and two draws. If they continue their unbeaten run, Japan will become only the second Asian team in history to achieve five consecutive unbeaten matches at the World Cup, following South Korea 's six-match streak between 1998 and 2002.
Conversely, Sweden entered the match under considerable pressure after their heavy 1-5 defeat against the Netherlands. Prior to that, the Nordic team had started promisingly with a 5-1 victory over Tunisia, but the recent loss had severely impacted their standing.
Coach Graham Potter insisted Sweden would learn from that defeat, but they don't have much time left to rectify the situation. A win would guarantee their progression, while a draw would only keep their hopes alive for third place.
The head-to-head history favors Sweden, as they are unbeaten in their last four encounters with Japan . However, Japan has also shown they are no longer an easy team to beat against European opponents, remaining unbeaten in their last four World Cup matches against teams from the Old Continent.
Source: https://znews.vn/dien-bien-nhat-ban-vs-thuy-dien-post1663166.html
