Netherlands cruise past Tunisia to clinch top spot, set up Morocco clash

The Netherlands breezed into the World Cup knockouts as Group F winners with a commanding 3-1 victory over Tunisia on a rain-soaked Thursday, capitalising on another poor display from their hapless opponents to set up a round-of-32 clash with Morocco.

A thunderstorm warning cleared just in time for kickoff but there was no delay to the Dutch on the pitch, who made the fastest start to a World Cup match since 2002 when they seized a 2-0 lead in just over six minutes.

The North Africans’ captain Ellyes Skhiri inadvertently turned a cross into his own net in the third minute, before Brian Brobbey grabbed his third goal of the tournament.

Tunisia briefly threatened a comeback when Hazem Mastouri scored in the 54th minute, but Jan Paul van Hecke quickly restored the Dutch cushion.

Despite dominating for long spells and resting key players in the second half, Koeman rejected any suggestion his side were favourites for the Morocco match in Monterrey on Monday.

“I’m not sure if we’re the favourites,” he told reporters. “It will be a big game. They are a good team with a lot of quality, and they can score easily… It’s clear we will be meeting a strong opponent.”

“We’re the first of the group, and now we’re going towards our real test, and that’s what we’re going to prepare for,” he added.

The Netherlands capitalised on another error-strewn display from Tunisia, whose calamitous tournament came to a fitting end after heavy defeats to Japan and Sweden and a coach change between their first two matches.

Some of the more than 68,000 fans in attendance left the stadium before the final whistle with the result beyond doubt, as heavy rain and the weather alert did little to disrupt the match or dampen their enthusiasm.

DUTCH CONTROL

Tunisia almost struck first in the second minute when Ismael Gharbi missed a clear chance, but the Netherlands moved ahead moments later as Skhiri slashed at Denzel Dumfries’ cross and rifled the ball into his own net.

They doubled their advantage in the seventh minute, when Brobbey finished from close range after Virgil van Dijk headed a free kick back across goal.

The early burst gave way to a slower tempo, with the Dutch rarely troubled even as Tunisia threatened to get back into the contest in the second half, when Mastouri headed in Hannibal Mejbri’s corner to reduce the deficit.

Tunisia’s momentum was quickly curtailed as the Netherlands restored their two-goal advantage eight minutes later when Van Hecke powered home a header from Tijjani Reijnders’ corner, with the ball deflecting off Anis Slimane on its way into the net.

Reijnders later struck the crossbar as the Dutch continued to press but failed to add to their tally.

DISAPPOINTING TOURNAMENT FOR TUNISIA

The scoreline allowed Koeman to take off some of his starters ahead of the round-of-32 clash in Mexico, with Brobbey, Cody Gakpo and Frenkie de Jong all substituted in the second half.

Memphis Depay, the Netherlands’ all-time leading goalscorer, came on in the 77th minute and went close with an acrobatic bicycle kick.

The defeat capped a disappointing tournament for Tunisia, who conceded 12 goals across three matches despite arriving with a reputation for defensive solidity after they cruised through qualifying without conceding a single goal.

Sweden’s Elanga earns draw with Japan to keep their World Cup alive

Sweden salvaged a 1-1 draw with Japan as both sides confirmed their progress to the World Cup knockout rounds on Thursday after Anthony Elanga curled in a 62nd-minute equaliser to earn Graham Potter’s team a share of the points in Group F.

Elanga struck six minutes after Daizen Maeda had finished off a team move of the highest quality for Japan, who finish second to the Netherlands in the group with five points to set up a last-32 clash with five-times world champions Brazil.

The Swedes bounced back from a 5-1 loss in their previous group match against the Netherlands to remain in third with four points, enough to secure one of the eight slots available in the next phase for the best third-placed teams across the 12 groups.

“I had the feeling throughout the game that I wanted to do something today,” said Elanga. “I really have to thank Graham for the confidence he’s given me since day one.

“I’m happy I scored, of course I want to win, but in the end everyone shouted at me that we need to get one point.

“But I’m happy we’re through, and now we have to try to play even better in the next match.”

TEPID FIRST HALF

The points were shared after a tepid first half that only showed signs of life moments before the interval.

Keito Nakamura went closest to opening the scoring, the Japan winger hitting a low first-time strike from Maeda’s layoff that forced Jacob Widell Zetterstrom into a full-stretch save to push the ball around his left post.

Viktor Gyokeres then found space at the other end to drive towards goal, with a deflection from Shogo Taniguchi looping the resulting shot well wide of the target.

Japan came out for the second half with intent, Ao Tanaka’s wayward strike underlining that Hajime Moriyasu’s side would not be content to sit back and take a point.

The dynamism of their play was rewarded when Maeda applied the finishing touch to an exquisite team goal instigated by Ritsu Doan.

The winger received a return pass from Ayase Ueda as he cut in from the right and slid the ball into the space between Sweden’s centre backs for the unmarked Maeda to stroke his shot home.

Japan’s lead lasted just six minutes, however, as Elanga contributed a quality finish of his own to equalise, bending a left-foot strike from the corner of the area over the Japan defence and past the unsighted Zion Suzuki.

Suzuki had to be at his sharpest to keep the scores level three minutes later with a sprawling save to his left to keep out Alexander Isak’s attempt as the Swedes belatedly started to show their attacking quality.

The goalkeeper was also on hand to deny Isak again in stoppage time, palming the forward’s header onto the crossbar to confirm a second-place finish for Japan.

“I think we achieved what was important – conceding the minimum, not losing, and securing at least a point,” said Suzuki. “Being able to carry this unbeaten momentum into the Brazil match next is definitely positive.”