How a tweak to World Cup rules gives Sweden the chance to top Group F tonight

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/ULXPdOUj/"]Japan[/a] will have top spot in the group in their sights as they meet [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tunisia/QqZVYk95/"]Tunisia[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/japan-ULXPdOUj/tunisia-QqZVYk95/?mid=SzGJdIdt"]21st June, 06:00 CEST[/a]), while the North African side will be looking for a response under new boss Herve Renard.[/p][p]Put simply, Group F is still wide open, but thanks to a change in the tournament rules, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/OQyqbHWB/"]Sweden[/a] are the only team in the group who can guarantee first place for themselves after this round of fixtures.[/p][p][b]FIFA have elected to use head-to-head record instead of goal difference as the first tiebreaker to separate teams who finish level on points.[/b][/p][p]A win for Blagult over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/koeman-ronald/vHeYAvb2/"]Ronald Koeman[/a]'s side will put Sweden on six points and leave the Dutch on one. Japan, heavy favourites against the Tunisians, will cut Sweden's lead to two points if they get their expected victory, but a draw between Tunisia and Japan would then give Sweden an insurmountable four-point lead over the Asian side.[/p][p][b]However, Sweden will also secure first place if they win and Tunisia pull off a shock victory. The margin between the two would be three points, but Sweden's head-to-head success over The Eagles of Carthage means there is nothing Tunisia can do in the final round of fixtures to overtake Graham Potter's side.[/b][/p][p]That outcome requires both matches to be won by the outsiders, but after a handful of shock results already at this World Cup, it's a scenario that cannot be discounted.[/p][embed guid="e82d785a-925a-4f5d-ac8a-c4974ea49441" url="https://x.com/svenskfotboll/status/2068317955113517178" social-type="twitter" /][h2]"No time to dream"[/h2][p]Sweden fans may be dreaming of a midsummer victory over the Dutch and a favour from Tunisia, but Potter knows his side must improve from the first match, despite the impressive victory.[/p][p][b]"We don't have time to dream right now,"[/b] said the Englishman.[/p][p][b]"We went into a very tough playoff week (in March) and handled it incredibly well. It gave us confidence as a team, but we also know we have to get better. So it's not so much about dreaming right now, more about how we can develop as a team. Because we have to get even better if we are going to be able to have any joy from the match against Tunisia."[/b][/p][p]But on a personal level, Potter does concede that the journey that has got him into the position to manage Sweden at a World Cup is something of a dream.[/p][p][b]"It is a bit like a dream when I think back on it. We started in the Swedish fourth division, which is quite far down. And to now be sitting here is of course quite incredible. I'm forever grateful for the time in Sweden."[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/netherlands-WYintcWb/sweden-OQyqbHWB/?mid=0rAjVxuo"]Follow Netherlands vs Sweden on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]