20/06/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | JUNE 20, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP

Potter eyes redemption High-flying Sweden take on disappointed Dutch in Group F

S WEDEN head into their Group F clash against the Netherlands in Houston on Sunday (1am Malaysian time) flying high after producing their best World Cup scoring performance in 88 years, while the Dutch aim to regain confidence following a disappointing opening draw. A victory would put the Swedes – who thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in their opener – through to the knockout rounds in a reversal of fortunes for a team that only qualified for the tourna ment via the European playoffs. The Dutch were undefeated in qualifying for the tournament but an unsatisfying 2-2 draw with Japan raised questions about whether coach Ronald Koeman got his tactics right when reverting to a defensive set-up late in the match before conceding in the 89th minute. After sometimes playing too passively against Japan, the Dutch know they require a vastly improved performance against a Sweden side revitalised under English coach Graham Potter and brimming with confidence after scoring their most goals in a World Cup game since 1938. The Netherlands have dangerous players such as Cody Gakpo, Frenkie de Jong and Denzel Dumfries, who can provide the danger that was missing against Japan. One concern is whether the Netherlands’ all-time top goal-scorer Memphis Depay – who came off the bench but failed to make an

role in probing a Dutch backline anchored by captain Virgil van Dijk, who scored against Japan but looked less confident when defend ing. Yasin Ayari scored a brace for Sweden in the opener and will also give the Netherlands more food for thought, but it was Isak and Gyokeres who posed the main threats as they both created a host of chances beyond their goals. “There were lots of positives for us in terms of stability. It was a good night to start the tour nament,” Potter said. “It’s a good start for us, that’s all it is,” he said. “We know we face a different opponent in the next game. “We have to focus on our job and focus on how we play as a team,” he added. “We’ll meet another top team at the week end that’s one of the favourites for the compe tition, I would say, when you look at the play ers they have, the quality they have. So, it’s going to be a tough game.” The Scandinavians have a rich World Cup history, highlighted by a run to the final in 1958. They failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but are back at a happy hunting ground after securing a third-place finish at USA 1994. Potter has a chance to add another spar kling chapter to Sweden’s World Cup story and cap a remarkable revival of his own. – AFP/Reuters

Having joined the Dutch preparations late following Arsenal’s defeat by Paris St Germain in the Champions League final, the defender was forced to drop out of the squad shortly before a warm-up friendly against Uzbekistan in New York. Sweden enter the match in Houston know ing another win puts them in a position to fin ish top of the group under Potter, who took over last October and guided the team to the World Cup. Potter – who replaced a riskier attacking style with a more pragmatic system with five defenders – will also be buoyed that the duo of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres each scored against Tunisia and look to be firing on all cylinders. “I think they’ll get better and better the more they play,” he said when asked about Gyokeres and Isak. “I think they com plement each other very well. They bring different attrib utes, different qualities. “Individually, of

impact – can shake off recent thigh trouble to offer pace and guile to break down a compact Sweden defence. “Memphis is almost ready,” Koeman said following the Japan match. “I can feel he’s coming, and then I put him on the pitch, but we couldn’t attack anymore.” “I’m aware that we need to play better,” he added. Oranje’s midfielder Quinten Timber has been ruled out of their World Cup Group F match against Sweden after suffering an injury during training, the team said yesterday. National team officials confirmed that Timber, 25, sustained mild concussion following a col lision in Thursday practice. Medical staff monitored the player immedi ately after the incident and decided he would be unavailable for selection. “The moment Quinten had the ball, I ran deep,” teammate Teun Koopmeiners told Dutch media. “He wanted to chip it to

me and then it happened. It wasn’t a super hard collision, as I understand it, but you do have to be careful.” The setback for Timber, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Wednesday and was a substitute in the Netherlands’ opening 2-2 draw against Japan. His twin brother, Jurrien, has already been forced to miss the tournament with a groin injury.

course, they’re top play ers. But I think together they can be a real threat. So the challenge for us is to make sure the team functions well and to get the best out of those two guys.” They will play a key

TUNISIA will throw new coach Herve Renard straight into the deep end when they face Japan on Sunday (12noon in Malaysia) in Monterrey, with the North Africans des perately needing points after their tournament got off to a nightmare start. The French coach has barely had time to set tle into his new role after being rushed in to Tunisia’s new coach faces baptism of fire

Scaloni faces striker dilemma after opening win

the opener.

ARGENTINA returned to train ing with Lionel Scaloni facing fresh selection dilemmas, after the holders opened

“The coach is constantly making decisions – who plays, who doesn’t, who comes on, who comes off,” he told reporters after the match. “Everyone would like to play, but building the team requires 11 players, and you look for the ideal functioning.” Argentine media and jour nalists attending yesterday’s training session said Scaloni was likely to pick Alvarez over Martinez for their Group J match against the Austrians. “Blessed doubts and blessed competition,” former Boca Juniors goalkeeper Carlos Navarro Montoya told Reuters , saying the difficulty of having to choose between the two centre-forwards reflected the quality of the Argentine side. “Martinez is a brilliant fin isher, more of a penalty-area striker, while Julian gives you finishing and presence in the box but also contributes out side it and can be more involved. “He may have greater physical intensity when press ing,” Navarro Montoya said. There is also uncertainty at rightback, where Gonzalo Montiel started against Algeria but Nahuel Molina, typically the first-choice option, came on at halftime. Leftback Nicolas Tagliafico also remains a doubt due to a calf injury, with Facundo Medina having deputised against Algeria. The Argentine FA said on Thursday that Tagliafico was working on the pitch and pro gressing positively. – Reuters

their World Cup cam paign with a 3-0 win over Algeria, as competition for the striker role again pits Lautaro Martinez against Julian Alvarez. The starters were back on the training pitch ahead of the second match against Austria on Monday, after only work ing in the gym on Thursday, with Martinez having led the line in the opener before Alvarez replaced him in the 55th min ute. Alvarez was the

replace the sacked Sabri Lamouchi, who paid the price for Tunisia’s crushing 5-1 opening defeat to Sweden. Now Renard must somehow galvanise his shell-shocked squad against oppo nents he readily admits will be no push overs. “I know very well the quality of this team,” he said. “Japan are the best team in Asia.” The four-time Asian champions

lived up to that billing in their tournament opener, showing resilience to fight back twice and snatch a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands on Monday in Dallas. Daichi Kamada’s dramatic 88th-minute equaliser under

scored a never-say-die attitude that could spell trouble for a fragile Tunisian defence. Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu was full of praise for his team’s grit and determination in battling back. “We were trailing behind a very difficult opponent (and) the players were united as one, tenacious, they fought to the end and did not cease to persevere,” Moriyasu said. Yet Moriyasu will be hoping to show more than just fighting spirit on Saturday and made it clear his team had been hoping for a win against the Netherlands. “We were aiming to get three points, not one point. “So in that point of view, of course it was a lit tle bit disappointing.” With Sweden leading Group F on three points and both Japan and the Netherlands sitting on one point each, bottom-placed Tunisia know Sunday’s clash could make or break their cam paign. – Reuters

regular starter heading into the tournament, but Scaloni opted for Martinez – echoing their triumphant Qatar 2022 campaign, when the Inter Milan player began as first-choice striker Scaloni said beforethe Algeria game that the Atletico Madrid man had recovered from an ankle issue and was available. After the match, he highlighted the “incredible physical work” by Martinez in but Alvarez took over from the third match onwards.

Lionel Scaloni