Japan stand on four points after thumping Tunisia 4-0
Sweden crashed to a 5-1 loss against Netherlands last time out
Recommended bet: Japan to win @ 10/13 with LiveScore Bet
Group F has gone to the wire with everything on the line when Japan and Sweden meet in Arlington.
Japan, on four points, could well have done enough to qualify anyway, though a point nails down a top-two spot.
The Swedes, on the other hand, would be confident a draw will see them into the knockout stages, though they will have needed the scars from their 5-1 pounding by the Netherlands to have healed over.
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Team news
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu is likely to stick with the back three that shut out Tunisia, with Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ko Itakura looking strong after missing the 2-2 draw with Netherlands through match rustiness.
Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo is a major doubt due to the knee injury that ruled him out of the 4-0 romp over Tunisia.
Sweden head coach Graham Potter, meanwhile, insists captain and centre-back Isak Hien will play despite a hat-trick of errors in the 5-1 loss to the Oranje.
There are also calls for Lucas Bergvall and Anthony Elanga to start to add more urgency and pace to the side.
The stats
Japan are unbeaten in nine matches and their last six wins have all been with clean sheets.
Sweden have won only three of their last 12 matches and both teams have scored in each of their last eight fixtures, seven of those producing over 2.5 goals.
There have been 20 goals scored at an average of five per game in the four Group F games played to date.
The latest Japan vs Sweden odds are available on LiveScoreBet
Prediction
The AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas hosts a fascinating Group F shootout between Japan and Sweden, with everything on the line.
Japan are on four points and sitting pretty after coming from behind twice to draw 2-2 with the Dutch and crushing Tunisia 4-0.
The Swedes had one foot in the last 32 after drubbing Tunisia 5-1, only to go back to square one courtesy of a mauling by the Oranje by the same scoreline.
It means Japan are in the privileged position of knowing a narrow loss probably would not hurt their qualification prospects, while a point is all they need.
It is hard, however, to see Japan playing for a point because that would be contrary to everything they are about.
They will also see Sweden as fair game given that Potter's men have been in ropey form for a while, only qualifying by the back door and then being taken apart by a buoyant Dutch.
The Alexander Isak-Viktor Gyokeres frontline does not seem to work, though it is the lack of spark and creativity from deeper which is Sweden's real issue.
Potter may decide that four points and a level goal difference would get them through and he would probably be right. He can be conservative anyway, so that plays to his strengths.
So expect Sweden to be under the cosh and the free-scoring Japanese to, almost by accident, get this won because they are quite simply the better team.
Score prediction: Japan 2-1 Sweden
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