Suzuki heroics rescue Japan against Sweden in tense World Cup draw

In partnership with

GOAL

·26 Juni 2026

Suzuki heroics rescue Japan against Sweden in tense World Cup draw

Japan secured their place in the World Cup knockout rounds after a dramatic 1–1 draw with Sweden in Arlington. Daizen Maeda broke the deadlock in the 56th minute before Anthony Elanga's stunning curling effort restored parity six minutes later, setting up a frantic finale.

Sweden threw everything forward in stoppage time but Zion Suzuki produced a brilliant save to deny Elanga before Alexander Isak's header crashed against the crossbar. GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Japan v Sweden.

Video OneFootball

Follow the latest World Cup News on Goal.com

Winners

Daizen Maeda (Japan)

Maeda delivered the decisive moment when Japan needed it most, finishing Ritsu Doan's incisive pass with a composed right-footed strike into the bottom left corner. The 56th-minute goal ultimately secured Japan's progression from Group F and extended their remarkable unbeaten run against European opposition.

Beyond the goal, Maeda was a constant presence across both halves. He had earlier headed wide from a promising position in the 22nd minute when unmarked inside the box, showing his willingness to get into dangerous areas throughout the contest.

His tireless pressing of the Swedish defence and willingness to track back embodied Japan's high-energy approach. Named man of the match, Maeda's two-way contribution proved vital in a game where Japan needed both attacking incision and defensive discipline to hold firm against late pressure.

Zion Suzuki (Japan)

Suzuki emerged as Japan's saviour in the dying moments when Sweden threw bodies forward seeking a winner. His stunning save to deny Elanga's close-range effort in the 93rd minute kept Japan level before Isak's subsequent header crashed against the crossbar off his fingertips.

The goalkeeper had shown his quality earlier, palming away Isak's curling shot in the 65th minute with an excellent diving stop to his right. That intervention came during Sweden's most dangerous spell following their equaliser and prevented the visitors from completing a rapid turnaround.

Suzuki's assured display between the posts provided the foundation Japan needed to survive intense late pressure. Without his reflexes in those final chaotic seconds, Japan's qualification celebrations would have turned to despair as Sweden came agonisingly close to snatching all three points.

Loser

Isak Hien (Sweden)

Hien's evening unravelled in frustrating fashion across a difficult opening 37 minutes. His shirt pull on Ayase Ueda in the 32nd minute earned a yellow card for cynically halting a Japanese counter-attack, putting him on thin ice with over an hour still to play.

Just five minutes later, Hien's night ended prematurely when he went down with an apparent muscular injury. Unable to put weight on his leg, he required assistance from two medical staff to leave the field, his departure forcing an unplanned reshuffle of Sweden's defensive structure.

The early loss of a starting centre-back disrupted Graham Potter's plans and set the tone for Sweden's injury-plagued performance. With Hien's withdrawal beginning a cascade that would see two more defenders forced off, Sweden's defensive organisation never fully recovered as they chased the result in vain.