There has not been a single moment in this World Cup where Japan has not looked like the class of the tournament. They have been the best team in execution for the entirety of this 2023 competition and there is little reason to believe that will not continue into the round of eight.
Hinata Miyazawa has been the best player on the pitch in every one of the games she has appeared, scoring five goals and assisting on another, She has been a tone-setter for the Japanese squad that has put the ball in the net 14 times.
It is a revenge tour of sorts for the Nadeshiko, who lost in stunning and disappointing fashion in the Round of 16 in 2019 and have been hellbent on re-establishing themselves as the elite in women's world football four years later.
Sweden will provide Japan's toughest test to date, though.
The Blågult have conceded a single goal in the tournament as their defense has dominated games. Against the United States, Sweden conceded 21 shots and did not allow a single goal. That statistic is awe-inspiring and proof of its stifling, suffocating nature.
Offensively, Amanda Ilestedt has scored three goals while Fridolina Rolfo has added two.
Perhaps the greatest difference in this match will come down to Sweden's ability to weaponize the corner kick. The team scored four of its first seven goals in this tournament off the setup. If it can work that back into its offensive repertoire and put the ball in the net, it will be difficult to defeat a team that is brimming with confidence after eliminating the tournament favorites US.
As great as Sweden's defense has been, though, it is difficult to imagine a scenario in which any team halts the juggernaut that has been Japan in this tournament. The team has just been better than everyone, including Spain, and should be able to manufacture a goal here and force Sweden to come from behind if it wants to advance.
Prediction: Japan def. Sweden, 1-0
