Sweden have qualified for the last 16 of the World Cup after defeating Mexico 3-0 in Ekaterinburg to finish top in Group F. Mexico have also qualified after Germany were surprisingly beaten by South Korea.
A goal early in the second half from Ludwig Augustinsson and a second from the penalty spot from the captain Andreas Granqvist put Sweden in charge, and an own goal from Edson Álvarez ensured Sweden made up for their last-gasp defeat to Germany.
Mexico had to wait for the score from the other game between Germany and South Korea in Kazan, before learning the Koreans had won. Sweden and Mexico will learn on Wednesday evening which of Brazil, Serbia or Switzerland they will face from Group E in the last 16.
There had been more VAR controversy in the first half when Javier Hernández appeared to control the ball with his arm in his own penalty area, but the Argentinian referee, Néstor Pitana, decided it was not worthy of a penalty after watching on the pitchside monitor, to the fury of the Swedish players and especially their manager, Janne Andersson.
Sweden had the better of the goalless first half and took the lead five minutes into the second half. Viktor Claesson’s cross from the right found its way to Augustinsson and Guillermo Ochoa got a hand to his smart half-volley but could not stop it finding the net.
The Swedes doubled their lead when Marcus Berg was fouled in the penalty area by Héctor Moreno and Granqvist calmly slotted in his second penalty of the tournament.
And with 15 minutes remaining Swedish nerves were calmed when Álvarez, under pressure from Ola Toivonen, unluckily deflected the ball past Ochoa for a third.
Sweden’s Sebastian Larsson was booked in the first half for a high challenge on Hirving Lozano and will miss their last-16 match through suspension, as will Mexico’s Moreno.
Source: The Guardian
