Japan will face Brazil in a World Cup last-32 clash after drawing 1-1 with Sweden on Thursday to send both teams through behind the Netherlands in Group F.
A game in front of 70,000 in Texas burst into life in the second half, Daizen Maeda giving Japan the lead after the break before Anthony Elanga levelled minutes later.
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Japan, fancied as dark horses to go far in the tournament, were hanging on by the end as Alexander Isak and Elanga both went close.
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 while Japan plays Brazil in Houston.
Japan beat Brazil 3-2 at home in a friendly in October, and coach Hajime Moriyasu said their opponents will be driven by a sense of revenge.
“Perhaps because of that match, they will be motivated even more,” said Moriyasu.
“Yet we do believe that there’s a chance for us to win,” he added.
“And then we hope that we will be able to move one step further and get to the next stage.”
Potter, whose side were torn apart by the Netherlands last time out, changed his goalkeeper and started Elanga.
“We had to defend the box and wide areas better,” said the Englishman.
The former Chelsea and West Ham boss added: “The boys were fantastic.
“Over the course of the game it was a pretty fair result, and arguably we were slightly the better team in the second half.”
It remains to be seen who Sweden will play next, but France looms as one possibility.
“It’s a tricky one,” said Potter.
“We need to be on our toes in terms of logistics; that’s the fun part of the tournament.”
Japan, hang on –
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 enough, and the paucity of chances in the first period reflected that.
The Premier League duo of Isak and Viktor Gyokeres had 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 the same way, all-action Japan midfielder Ao Tanaka jigging his way into space but blasting over the bar.
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 six minutes, the Newcastle winger Elanga cutting in from the right and firing with his left from outside the box and beyond goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.
Sweden was now on top, and Suzuki denied Isak as Sweden went in search of a winner.
Suzuki kept Elanga out in the third of seven added minutes, then the goalkeeper stopped an Isak header from close range.
Source: Khaleej Times