Potter shuffles pack to find stability as Sweden progress to knockout stage
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group F - Japan v Sweden - Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S. - June 25, 2026 Sweden coach Graham Potter speaks to media after the match REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
DALLAS: Sweden coach Graham Potter made several changes to his line-up for Thursday's (Jun 25) World Cup match against Japan and was rewarded with a 1-1 draw that sees his side through to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams.
Following their 5-1 defeat by the Netherlands in their previous game, Potter replaced goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt with Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and moved captain Victor Lindelof into midfield.
His decision to start Anthony Elanga also paid off when the winger netted the equaliser.
"Everyone's been active in the organisation of the team, so it didn't feel too much of a change for me, although I understand when you change the goalkeeper and you move Victor into midfield, it can be (a big change)," Potter told a news conference.
"If you've got the players with you, if you've got support from people outside, then you've got a chance."
Potter had to do more shuffling during the game.
An injury to centre-back Isak Hien saw him replaced in the first half, with Lindelof dropping into defence and Lucas Begvall coming into the midfield.
Lindelof then succumbed to cramp late on and had to be swapped out for Carl Starfeldt.
Elanga's equaliser ensured that the Swedes finished on four points, with the Netherlands winning Group F on seven points and Japan runners-up on five.
Sweden's opponents in the round of 32 will only be decided in the coming days but Potter said he was just happy they were in the knockout phase.
"It's a tricky one, because you can second-guess - until we know, we won't know," he added. "We have to probably recover the players first and make sure that physically we're in a good place for whoever we play.
"If you'd have said to me when we first came that that would be the challenge we face, I would have absolutely taken it, so we're looking forward to it."
