Not much of a surprise here as the Dutch rolled through another group stage and Japan and Sweden displayed why we thought they were both so dangerous coming into the tournament.
NETHERLANDS 3, TUNISIA 1
If anyone needed this World Cup to end, Tunisia would be pretty high on this list and that was before they were down 0-2 inside of 10 minutes.
Ellyes Skhiri turned a low cross from Denzel Dumfries into his own net just three minutes into the game before Brian Brobbey piled on the misery four minutes later when he converted Virgil van Dijk's header back across the box with a thumping first time shot as the Dutch converted from a set piece just outside the box.
Jake Catanese
Hazem Mastouri would pull one back in the second half, converting a Hannibal Mejbri corner kick into the back corner of Bart Verbruggen's net in the 54th. The Netherlands would restore their advantage not even ten minutes later when Jan Paul van Hecke answered with a corner kick header of his own as defender Anis Ben Slimane tried in vain to head the ball away.
Overall a fitting end to a miserable Tunisia group stage as the Eagles of Carthage leave without a point and lots of mentions of the CAF qualifying shenanigans with Equitorial Guinea basically being railroaded out of second place and how good this team was coming into the tournament.
JAPAN 1, SWEDEN 1
This was always going to be a wonderful game, Japan just makes everything such a great stylistic matchup.
Straight to the second half, and a wonderful volley from Daichi Kamada in the 53rd minute was denied by both keeper Jacob Zetterstrom of Sweden and the assistant's offside flag though the Derby County keeper did tremendous on the point blank shot that arrived after a deflection.
Zetterstrom could do nothing just a few minutes later when Ritsu Doan played in a cutting Kamada who took a touch before slotting home into the far corner to give the Blue Samurai the lead in the 56th.
Anthony Elanga would answer with a stunning long range goal six minutes later with a delightful left footed curler that Zion Suzuki saw slightly late through traffic but it might not have mattered.
Jake Catanese
Japan had a chance late when they forced a turnover in Sweden's half and Daichi Kamada crossed into the box to a wide open Koki Ogawa but the striker could only throw a foot out and volley the ball well over the net.
Sweden also at the death had two chances with Elanga firing another left footed shot that Suzuki parried out and then the New Jersey born keeper had to deny Alexander Isak's on late corner when the header from the Liverpool striker looked to be tipped onto the crossbar.
GROUP OVERVIEW
Group F belongs to the Netherlands 🇳🇱
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 26, 2026
Japan and Sweden join them in the Round of the 32! pic.twitter.com/wDUmubSL9O
The Netherlands secured the top spot and their reward now is a Round of 32 matchup with Morocco while Japan gets the Group C winners in Brazil as these were two of the groups that got hosed and don't get to play a third place team so instead we get this two ridiculous games a round earlier than usual. Probably the only downside to the new expanded format.
(Editor's Note: Or an upside! Brazil-Japan will be cinema)
Sweden is mostly assured of playing the Group I winner to be decided once Norway-France is over.
