Japan and Sweden play to 1-1 draw as both advance to knockout round at World Cup
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Japan's Daizen Maeda, right, celebrates after scoring their opening goal during the World Cup Group F football match between Japan and Sweden in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
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Japan's Daizen Maeda (11) scores his team's first goal as Sweden's Alexander Bernhardsson (21) watches during the World Cup Group F football match between Japan and Sweden in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Daizen Maeda gave Japan the lead and Anthony Elanga took it away six minutes later, giving Sweden a 1-1 draw Thursday night that sent both teams to the knockout round of the World Cup.
Japan is advancing out of the group stage for the third consecutive World Cup and fifth time in seven tries since first reaching the round of 16 as co-hosts in 2002.
The Japanese team finished second in Group F behind the Netherlands and will play Brazil in Houston on Monday.
The Swedes have advanced to the knockout round the past four times they’ve qualified for the World Cup, going back to 1994 — when they reached the semifinals the last time the US hosted football’s biggest event.
Maeda scored Japan’s seventh goal of the tournament, the country’s most for an entire World Cup.
That topped the six the Japanese scored while reaching the round of 16 in Russia eight years ago.
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