The mathematics of the group stage can drive a man to drink, or at the very least, to a rather profound philosophical observation at six in the mornin...
The mathematics of the group stage can drive a man to drink, or at the very least, to a rather profound philosophical observation at six in the morning. As GoalZaza's James Humphries so aptly noted, the notion that a Japanese demolition of Sweden could keep Scotland's faint hopes alive feels less like permutation logic and more like a desperate sprint from the inevitable comedown. It is the sort of brutal, beautiful arithmetic that makes the World Cup's final group day such a unique, agonising spectacle.And yet, for all the Scottish existentialism rattling around the edges, we must focus on the actual event. Japan and Sweden are not playing for a place in GoalZaza; they are playing to avoid the shadow. The third place play off is a curious beast. It is a match that demands motivation where none naturally exists, a professional obligation to close out a campaign with a scrap of pride. For Japan, who have shown flashes of their famous transitional energy but lacked clinical finishing in the clutch moments, this is a chance to remind the global audience of their technical precision. For Sweden, traditional architects of the low block with a taste for the counter, it is a tactical puzzle that requires them to break rather than break out.So what are we expecting This will not be a cagey affair. Both teams have the defensive discipline of seasoned tournament sides, but the emotional release of a dead rubber often produces the most open football of the whole competition. Japan's full backs will push high. Sweden's midfield will look to impose a physical rhythm. Someone will bottle it; someone will seize the moment. It is not the final, but it is still a World Cup fixture. And for the neutrals, particularly those Scots keeping one eye on the score while running from their own metaphorical comedown, it may just be the most compelling game of the night.
