Japan and Sweden duke it out for a place in the last 32 of the World Cup on Thursday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Samurai Blue is in pole position to finish as one of Group F‘s top two having collected four points to date, following up its draw with the Netherlands by hammering Tunisia. Japan is all but certain of progression to the last 32 already, but a draw or win over Sweden would ensure it finishes as the leader or runner-up of the group. Goal difference could be important for Japan in victory, assuming the Netherlands also beats Tunisia in its finale. Clinching first secures a simpler last 32 tie—on paper, at least. Sweden knows it needs victory to automatically qualify as one of the top two, but a draw would likely be enough to progress as one of the eight best-ranked third-place teams. By beating Japan, it could hypothetically finish first, providing the Dutch stumble against Tunisia. A defeat for Sweden leaves it in a perilous position and at the mercy of others. Japan vs. Sweden Score PredictionSamurai Blue Wins Vital DuelJapan is in excellent form. | Eloisa Sanchez-Reuters via Imagn ImagesSweden managed an unprecedented feat by following its opening 5–1 World Cup win over Tunisia with a defeat by the same scoreline to the Netherlands last time out. During a battle with the Oranje, its glaring defensive deficiencies were brutally exposed. Japan, which became the first Asian nation to score four goals in a World Cup match against Tunisia, should punish an unconvincing Sweden rearguard, the Samurai Blue boasting an impressive arsenal of attacking weapons. Graham Potter will expect his side to get on the scoresheet given the presence of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres up front, but Japan is the superior outfit and should finish its group stage with a flourish. Japan form: Hajime Moriyasu‘s men head into Thursday‘s match brimming with belief. They are unbeaten in nine matches and have conquered the likes of Brazil and England during that streak, often striking the perfect balance between offense and defense. In the team’s undefeated run, it has kept six clean sheets, yet also scored an impressive 19 times. Sweden‘s struggles: The main issue for Sweden is clearly its defense, which deservedly shipped five to the Dutch. It hasn‘t kept a clean sheet in 13 matches and is unlikely to thwart a tantalizing Japan attack, with Potter having been unable to solidify a backline that has conceded 22 times in its last 10 outings. Prediction: Japan 3–1 SwedenCompete against the world. | SPORTS ILLUSTRATEDJapan Predicted Lineup vs. SwedenMoriyasu could name an unchanged lineup. | Sports IllustratedJapan‘s high-scoring win was all the more impressive considering Moriyasu was without Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad, who is nursing a knee injury and remains a doubt for the game with Sweden. The Samurai Blue is already without a host of injured stars, including Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and captain Wataru Endo, and Shūto Machino, who replaced Endo in the squad, missed the Tunisia triumph through illness. Moriyasu will be reluctant to change anything from the glitzy win on matchday two, potentially naming the same XI. Japan predicted lineup vs. Sweden (3-4-2-1): Z. Suzuki; Tomiyasu, Itakura, H. Itō; Dōan, Sano, Tanaka, Nakamura; Itō, Kamada; Ueda.Sweden Predicted Lineup vs. JapanPotter could make changes. | Sports IllustratedAnthony Elanga scored from the bench against the Netherlands and caused real problems with his speed, potentially earning him promotion to the XI as Potter’s right wing back.Wantaway Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall could earn his first start of the tournament, replacing Celtic‘s Benjamin Nygren in midfield to make Sweden harder to play through. Isak and Gyökeres will continue to lead the line and provide Japan‘s defense with some major headaches as their partnership flourishes. Sweden predicted lineup vs. Japan (3-5-2): Nordfeldt; Lagerbielke, Hien, Lindelöf; Elanga, Bergvall, Karlström, Ayari, Gudmundsson; Gyökeres, Isak. Pick Your World Cup Starting XIs!What Time Does Japan vs. Sweden Kick Off?Location: Arlington, United StatesStadium: AT&T StadiumDate: Thursday, June 25 / Friday, June 26Kick-off Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT / 12 a.m. BST (June 26)Referee: Iván Barton (SLV)How to Watch Japan vs. Sweden on TV, Live StreamCountryBroadcaster(s)United StatesFOX Network, Fox Sports 1, fuboTV, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO NOW, FOX OneCanadaTSN2, TSN+, RDS 2, RDS AppMexicoViX MexicoUnited KingdomBBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport WebREAD THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, PREVIEWS & ANALYSIS HEREAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow