Anthony Elanga's spectacular second-half equaliser secured Sweden's place in the World Cup 2026 knockout stages after a 1-1 draw with Japan in Dallas. The Newcastle winger curled home a brilliant left-footed strike in the 62nd minute, cancelling out Daizen Maeda's opener and ensuring both teams advanced from Group F.

Japan topped the group with seven points while Sweden progressed as one of the best third-placed teams. The result eliminated Scotland from contention and set up intriguing round of 32 matchups. Japan will face Brazil in Houston on June 29, while Sweden likely meets France or Norway in New Jersey on June 30.

Graham Potter's side showed resilience but concerns remain about Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres' form. Despite Elanga's two goals in two matches, Sweden's attacking play lacks consistency against quality opposition. The coach praised his team's character after recovering from going behind.

Sweden's qualification represents a remarkable turnaround from their lowly World Cup qualifying position that saw Jon Dahl Tomasson dismissed last October. However, their unconvincing displays against decent sides suggest they'll need significant improvement to progress beyond the next round.