Brazil survived a World Cup last-32 scare when they fought back to beat Japan 2-1 after Gabriel Martinelli squeezed in a shot at the far post deep in stoppage time on Monday. Brazil, who will next face Norway or Ivory Coast in New Jersey on 5 July, looked like they were headed to extra-time in a match in which the five-time world champions struggled to break down a resolute Japanese side.
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Japan and Sweden booked their places in the knockout phase of the World Cup as they drew 1-1 in their final Group F clash in Dallas. The point sends Japan through in second place behind the Netherlands with Sweden top of the third-place teams, dealing another blow to Scotland’s hopes of reaching the last 32.
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Japan delivered a commanding 4-0 win over Tunisia in the World Cup’s 1,000th match to move to the brink of the knockout stages, while the North Africans were eliminated after a second successive defeat in Group F. Daichi Kamada opened the scoring after four minutes, bundling home Keito Nakamura’s low cross from close range, before Ayase Ueda doubled Japan’s lead in the 30th minute with a fierce low drive into the far corner.
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Japan hit back twice to start their World Cup campaign with an entertaining 2-2 draw against the Netherlands. The Dutch were denied a victory in their the World Cup Group F opener when Koki Ogawa’s 88th-minute header took a deflection off Daichi Kamada before going in at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas. After a drab first half where chances were few and far between, the came to life when an unmarked Virgil van Dijk headed home in the 51st minute from Liverpool team-mate Ryan Gravenberch’s cross.
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Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was the hero, saving three penalties in the shootout, as Croatia edged past Japan with a 3-1 victory to reach the World Cup quarter-finals. After a 1-1 draw at extra time, Livakovic kept out the first two efforts before stopping Maya Yoshida’s kick, then Mario Pasalic tucked his penalty into the corner to take his side through.
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