A dramatic round

From 3 AM on June 26th, the final matches of Groups D, E, and F of the 2026 World Cup will continue. Besides hosts USA (Group D) and Germany (Group E), who have already secured their places in the next round, the remaining teams will fight to the end for a spot in the Round of 32.

Sweden (left) must beat Japan to secure their place in the next round - Photo: AFP

At 6:00 AM on June 26th, the most anticipated match was the direct confrontation between Japan and Sweden at Dallas Stadium in Arlington (USA).

How strong are the "Blue Samurai"?

Japan is having an incredibly impressive World Cup. After a resilient 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening match, they showcased their formidable attacking power by crushing Tunisia 4-0.

This victory helped the Japanese team make history as the first Asian representative to score four goals in a World Cup match. Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda shone brightly with a brace of goals and an assist. Daichi Kamada continued to demonstrate his knack for scoring at the national team level.

Currently, Japan is second in Group F with 4 points and a goal difference of +4, level with the Netherlands but behind due to tie-breaking criteria. A draw against Sweden would be enough to secure the Asian representative's place in the top two. However, with their ambitions, Japan does not want to go into the match with the mindset of playing for a draw.

On the other side of the battlefield, Graham Potter's Sweden is in a position where they must win or at least secure a point to have any hope of progressing. After a crushing 5-1 victory over Tunisia in their opening match, the Nordic team suffered a major setback with a heavy defeat against the Netherlands.

This defeat leaves Sweden in third place with 3 points (goal difference 0). Sweden possesses a very dangerous attacking duo in Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak. However, their defense, under the command of Victor Lindelof and Karl Hien, needs significant improvement after the mistakes in the previous match. Coach Graham Potter is likely to make a few changes to the starting lineup, including bringing Anthony Elanga in from the start after his impressive performance coming off the bench.

At the same time, the Netherlands (4 points) will face Tunisia (0 points), who have already been officially eliminated. A victory is almost certainly within reach for the "Orange Tornado" to solidify their position at the top of Group F.

Identify the final tickets in groups D and E.

Besides Group F, Groups D and E will also enter their final round of matches with scenarios that are highly anticipated.

In Group E, all matches will take place simultaneously at 3:00 AM on June 26th. Germany, under coach Julian Nagelsmann, has already secured their place in the Round of 32 after two consecutive wins against Curaçao (7-1) and Ivory Coast (2-1). Their final match against Ecuador is primarily a formality and an opportunity to rest key players.

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Conversely, the remaining qualifying spot is a direct competition between Ivory Coast (3 points), Ecuador (1 point), and Curaçao (1 point). Ivory Coast holds the biggest advantage, needing only a win against Curaçao to secure qualification. Meanwhile, Ecuador must pull off an upset against Germany and hope Ivory Coast slips up to squeeze through the narrow gap.

In Group D, the final round of matches will take place at 9:00 AM on June 26th. The US team has already asserted its strength by securing a full 6 points after two victories against Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0), thus guaranteeing first place in the group. The match between the US and Türkiye is now only of pride for the European representative, as they have already been officially eliminated after two consecutive losses.

All eyes in Group D will be on the crucial clash between Paraguay (3 points) and Australia (3 points), taking place simultaneously. This is considered the "final" match to爭奪 second place. Australia currently has an advantage in goal difference (0 compared to Paraguay's -2). Therefore, a draw would be enough for them to secure direct qualification to the Round of 32.

Conversely, Paraguay must aim for a victory to determine their own fate without relying on a wildcard spot for the best third-placed team.

Match schedule for June 26th:

3 PM: Curacao - Ivory Coast, Ecuador - Germany (Group E)

6:00 AM: Tunisia - Germany, Japan - Sweden (Group F)

9:00 AM: USA - Türkiye, Paraguay - Australia (Group D)

Japan and the Netherlands will win.

Former striker Le Cong Vinh

This is the opinion of former Vietnam national team striker Le Cong Vinh in an interview with Tuoi Tre newspaper ahead of the last two matches of Group F. And here is Cong Vinh's analysis:

"Currently, the Netherlands, Japan (both with 4 points), and Sweden (3 points) will compete for first place in the group. Therefore, the Japan vs. Sweden match is very exciting to watch. Japan is now a strong team, no longer an 'underdog.' Their strength was clearly demonstrated in their 2-2 draw with the Netherlands and their convincing 4-0 victory over Tunisia. Japan's playing style is very scientific, disciplined, fast-paced, and balanced across all three lines. They play as if programmed, seamlessly transitioning between attack and defense."

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Sweden boasts the familiar attacking duo of Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal) and Alexander Isak (Liverpool) to Vietnamese fans. However, in their 1-5 defeat to the Netherlands, Sweden revealed numerous defensive weaknesses against an opponent with balanced attacks through the center and on both flanks. They lacked effective strategies to move the ball forward and failed to transition quickly from defense to attack.

Meanwhile, this is Japan's strength. More importantly, Japan attacks in a diverse manner, both on the flanks and through the center, even from set pieces. To secure at least one point in this match and qualify as one of the best third-placed teams, Sweden will play defensively and counter-attack. Wanting to win and finish top of the group, Japan has identified Sweden's weaknesses. Therefore, they might play similarly to their match against Tunisia: high-pressure pressing and attacking play in the first 15 minutes. I think Japan will either draw or win against Sweden.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands should have no difficulty defeating Tunisia. Having lost both of their previous matches, Tunisia has shown they pose little threat to the Netherlands. They almost completely lack a clear playing style, especially after changing coaches immediately following their 1-5 defeat to Sweden in their opening match. In this "firefighting" phase, new coach Herve Renard is unlikely to bring back any promising form for Tunisia.

The Netherlands have a solid defense, dangerous wing attacks, and know how to finish off opponents when the opportunity arises. The Netherlands must win against Tunisia, and even win convincingly, to compete for the top spot in the group with Japan and Sweden. Therefore, I think this will be a one-sided match. The Netherlands will relentlessly attack; the only question is how many goals they will score against a Tunisia team that has already been eliminated.

I predict the Netherlands will win by at least two goals."

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THANH DINH - NGUYEN KHOI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vong-dau-kich-tinh-100260625111329211.htm