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Japan and Sweden are gearing up for a thrilling Group F encounter at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Friday morning, with both sides eager to claim the top spot in the group standings.

Barring any major upsets, both nations look poised to advance. Sweden currently sit third with three points and a goal difference of zero, while Japan have collected four points with a +4 goal differential.

However, with the Netherlands leading the group only on goals scored, both teams know that overtaking Ronald Koeman’s side remains a realistic possibility — particularly for Japan.

For the Samurai Blue, the equation is straightforward: defeat Sweden by a larger margin than the Netherlands manage against Tunisia, and they will secure first place at the expense of the Oranje.

For Graham Potter’s Swedish side, the path to the summit is far more complex. To leapfrog both Japan and the Netherlands, they must overcome the Japanese and hope Tunisia pull off a major upset in the other fixture — a scenario that appears highly improbable.

Hervé Renard’s Tunisian outfit have conceded nine goals combined against Sweden and Japan, and they are still reeling from the dismissal of Sabri Lamouchi following their 5-1 hammering by the Scandinavians in the opening match.

When it comes to their head-to-head record, there’s little to separate the two teams. Sweden have won one of their four previous meetings, with the remaining three ending in stalemates.

Their last encounter came in a 2002 friendly, just a month before Japan co-hosted football’s premier event with South Korea. At that time, Japan were far from the consistent ‘dark horses’ they are recognised as today. Unsurprisingly, that meeting ended in a draw, but having reached the knockout rounds in both Russia and Qatar, the Samurai Blue will be confident of bettering their Scandinavian opponents this time around.

For that to happen, Ayase Ueda will be pivotal. The Feyenoord forward is expected to start after scoring twice and providing an assist in Japan’s previous victory over Tunisia. Daichi Kamada also found the net in that match, and he looks certain to feature again, having cemented his place as one of Hajime Moriyasu’s key men following productive spells with Eintracht Frankfurt and Crystal Palace.

Junya Ito of Genk and Keito Nakamura of Reims will both feel unlucky if they miss out on starting roles after impressive performances against the North Africans. Ito registered 11 goal contributions in the Belgian Pro League, while Nakamura netted 14 times in Ligue 1 to help his side finish sixth.

However, Japan will be without two important figures: Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo, both sidelined through injury. Kubo’s absence, in particular, could prove costly after he provided an assist against the Netherlands and was tipped to lead Japan’s attack before the tournament began.

Sweden, meanwhile, will aim to bounce back following their 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands. Alexander Isak and Victor Gyökeres are expected to spearhead the attack for the Blågult, with Anthony Elanga also in contention after scoring against the Dutch.

Yasin Ayari earned praise for his energetic display despite the team’s struggles in that heavy loss, while captain Victor Lindelöf will look to make amends after a disappointing defensive showing. Isak Hein’s starting spot, however, remains under threat following his difficulties against the Oranje.

The Japan vs Sweden clash kicks off at midnight on Friday, 26 June, with live coverage available on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website.