Japan showed their battling qualities to eke out a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their World Cup Group F opener on Sunday, as Hajime Moriyasu's side backed up their desire to make an impact at the tournament with a gritty display.
Japan delivered a commanding 4-0 win over Tunisia in the World Cup's 1,000th match on Saturday to move to the brink of the knockout stages, while the North Africans were eliminated after a second successive defeat in Group F.
Sweden and Japan played out a 1-1 draw in their World Cup Group F match, with Anthony Elanga scoring for Sweden and Daizen Maeda for Japan. The result ensures both teams progress to the knockout rounds, with Japan finishing second and Sweden securing a spot as one of the best third-placed teams.
Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman stood by his tactical decisions and substitutions after Japan struck late to earn a 2-2 draw in their opening Group F match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Sunday.
Japan's Yuto Nagatomo made history by becoming the first Asian player to feature in five FIFA World Cups during Japan's 1-1 draw against Sweden. This achievement places him among an elite group of players globally. The draw secured both Japan and Sweden's advancement to the Round of 32 in the 2026 tournament.
Striker Keito Nakamura scored the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup's first hat-trick as Japan hammered Honduras 6-1 to begin their campaign on a resounding note at the Indira Gandhi International Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday.
Making their second Under-17 World Cup appearance, Iraq have been the surprise package of the proverbial 'group of death' as they are well placed to advance to the knockout stage following a spirited 1-1 draw against two-time champions Mexico, and a 3-0 rout of Latin American giants Chile.
Vinicius Jr came off the bench to score once and set up another goal to steer champions Real Madrid to a 4-1 fightback victory over Espanyol.
It was a feast for the eyes as 40,620 people turned out at the Saltlake Stadium and witnessed the five-goal thriller with England dominating the first one-hour, followed by Mexico's second-half resurgence.
Steve Cooper's team remained calm in front of a 53,000-strong crowd as substitute Nya Kirby sealed the issue after their goalkeeper Curtis Anderson denied Hinata Kida.
European powerhouse France rallied from a goal down to hand a 5-1 drubbing on Honduras and qualify for the knockout stage as group toppers in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Guwahati.
