Highlights, Sweden vs Switzerland, FIFA World Cup 2018, Round of 16 in St Petersburg: Sweden through to quarters

Top stuff! 

Sweden have reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1994.

England or Colombia await the Giant Killers. 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/O2HXDARwoa

— Squawka (@Squawka) July 3, 2018

SWE 1-0 SUI

Peep! Peep! And it’s all over. The Brazilians of the north advance to the quarter-finals. They will fancy their chance against either Colombia or England, who play later tonight in the Russian capital. Sweden last reached the semi-finals in 1994 when Romario destroyed their World Cup goal with a neat far-post header. The Swiss are inconsolable. It’s heartbreak for them, but overall they offered too little over the 90 minutes to justify a place among the last eight. The Shaqiri route didn’t work in the first half and they only became lively after falling behind. Subs Seferovic and Embolo couldn’t make much of a difference either. So it is Sweden who progress and the ever-reserved Janne Andersson is celebrating with the fans. In other breaking news: I have found a power plug, hence this last post.

Full-time! SWE 1-0 SUI

The free-kick is saved! That’s it, game over! 

Sweden are through to the quarter-finals after 1-0 victory.

90+3’ SWE 1-0 SUI

Penalty for Sweden! That must be it. Referee Skomina doesn’t hesitate. Lang is send off. Switzerland have been hit on the counter. Aha – VAR time! You got to love this drama – or not. The fault, a slight push was committed on the edge of the box. The on-field review is on. Skomina is taking his time here. It’s a free kick Still, it won’t help the Swiss much. There is no more time left.

90+2’ SWE 1-0 SUI

PENALTY! 

A red card for Lang for a challenge on Olsson after Sweden go forward in a counter-attack. 

Oh wait, the VAR steps in. It’s not a penalty. The foul took place just outside the box. The red card stands.

90+1’ SWE 1-0 SUI

Three minutes left. These Swedes are quite something. The Brazilians of the north – so difficult to score against, even more so when trailing. Seferovic with a header, but, alas, for the Swiss Olson saves. Time running out now.

90’ SWE 1-0 SUI

Seferovic gets a nice header inside the box but Sweden goalkeeper is up to the task. 

Three minutes of added time.

90’ SWE 1-0 SUI

Third substitution for Sweden. Berg goes off and Isaac Kiese Thelin comes in.

89’ SWE 1-0 SUI

Both teams have covered 92km. Neat parity, but it’s another parity that the Swiss want. With Embolo and Seferovic on, Petkovic has played his trump cards. Will it be enough to topple the well-drilled Swedes? Their fans are having a party in the stands, sensing victory and a quarter-final ticket.

86’ SWE 1-0 SUI

My laptop is running out of battery with no plugs available – 8% of battery left, with 8 minutes left. The Gods are taunting this Firstpost reporter. Embolo is looking very lively and making incursions. Sweden, unsurprisingly, have ten to eleven players facing the ball. This is going to be one-way traffic until the end.

83’ SWE 1-0 SUI

Claesson took a tumble there. It wasn’t even proper Schwalbe. The referee is not having it. No need even for a VAR review. See what I did there? It’s been quiet on the VAR front in this game, but no World Cup game, anno 2018, is complete without mentioning the new technology. This was too obvious. You can’t beg the referee for a penalty, can you Claesson? What am I rambling on about? Switzerland come very close at the other end, but Sweden maintain their clean sheet, for now. It’s crunch time, also known as squeaky bum time for the men in yellow.

81’ SWE 1-0 SUI

Double substituin for Sweden. 

Forsberg is off, Olsson comes in. 

Krafth replaces Lustig.

79’ SWE 1-0 SUI

Embolo gets the header to a corner, but Forsberg is there on the line to block it. More frustration for the Swiss.

The first goal! 

14 - Emil Forsberg's opener was his first goal for Sweden at the World Cup, with what was his 14th shot (inc. blocks) of the 2018 tournament. Arrival. #SWESUI #SWE #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/xeiTTiSnZJ

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 3, 2018

75’ SWE 1-0 SUI

I predicted 1-1 and penalties. That’s still on, so this 3-3 draw that I had mentioned earlier. A colleague just brought me a hamburger – fuel for the closing staging of this game and possibly the denouement of Switzerland’s World Cup campaign. They are pouring forward in search of an equalizer. Seferovic, a nominal striker, has also come on. I have seen him play a few times live and can’t say I have ever been impressed by him. He has had a nomadic career and missed a lot of chances in Switzerland’s World Cup play-off against Northern Ireland. The Swiss fans were disgruntled at the time – how they will be hoping he delivers the goods this time.

73’ SWE 1-0 SUI

Two changes for Switzerland. Embolo comes off the bench to replace Zuber. Also, Seferovic replaces Dzmaili.

69’ SWE 1-0 SUI

Not a very poetic goal, in line with how this game is panning out. Forsberg, the set piece man, with a feeble, low attempt, but it takes a deflection and leaves the wrong-footed Sommer with no chance. The Swedes kept trying and have been rewarded. Game on now. Switzerland have just over 20 minutes left to salvage their World Cup campaign. Petkovic has always said that the round of sixteen was the absolute minimum for his team. Time to deliver, then!

66’ SWE 1-0 SUI

GOAAAAL! 

Forsberg finds space in the centre, takes his time and hits it. The ball takes a deflection after hitting Akanji and is in back of the net.

63’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Forsberg takes a free-kick from the left side on the edge of the box. It needed a good delivery but he hits it straight to the two-man wall.

60’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Yellow card for Behrami for his challenge on Forsberg.

56’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Stat alert:

Sweden have won each of their last three World Cup matches in which the half-time score was 0-0. Switzerland have won just one of their eight previous World Cup matches when it was 0-0 at half-time. Something will have to give.

54’ SWE 0-0 SUI

The stadium in St Petersburg isn’t very full. It’s been one of the stand-out venues of the tournament,  at the Gulf of Finland. Last year the Krestovky Stadium hosted the final of the Confederations Cup. After this game, St Petersburg is still slated to host a semi-final and the third place play-off. Iranian and Argentinian fans made a right-old ruckus at the ground during their first-round matches. Today, it’s a bit more subdued, but the tension is still palpable everywhere.

51’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Good start by Switzerland in the second-half. A few threatening balls delivered into the box, and Sweden goalkeeper is kept busy.

45’ SWE 0-0 SUI

It’s time for second-half. Switzerland get things underway.

Here are the first-half stats! 

Half-time! SWE 0-0 SUI

Sweden have enjoyed the better chances this half as the Swiss defence, without two key players, has been fragile. However, the Scandinavians, wasted those opportunities. It’s all square at the half, with no goals. Switzerland’s Shaqiri was lively at the other end, but he faded a bit as the half progressed.

Half-time! SWE 0-0 SUI

No goals in the first 45 minutes. Both teams enjoyed a few chances, but Sweden were slightly the better team. Ekdal with a gem of a chance just before the break but he failed.

45’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Hamren doesn’t look pleased with how his team have finished – or not finished to be more precise – today. Ekdal and Berg in contention for worst misses of the tournament this half. Let me spout a cliche, but the Swedish may pay that cash later on.

43’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Well, scrap all that. It’s still scrappy, but the chances are coming thick and fast. Forsberg’s freekick is deflected just wide and Ekdal should have done better at the far post, but he can’t keep the ball down. Terrible miss from Sweden. They have had the opportunities, but where is the lethal finishing they excelled in during the group stages?

41’ SWE 0-0 SUI

How did Ekdal not score?! He is unmarked in the six-yard box but can’t put the ball from Lustig’s cross into the net

40’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Are the Gods defying the laws of this World Cup? ‘Worldcupsville 2018’ demands high-speed, high-octane games, big on drama, utter madness and hysteria. Sweden – Switzerland is, well, not very sexy at the moment. A bit of normalcy at last then at Russia 2018. Perhaps this game is the exception to confirm the rule. No need to despair, not just yet! And as I write this Zuber blasts a shot high and wide from inside the Sweden box after some intricate play on the left. Poor finish.

38’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Zuber’s clever cut-back finds Dzemaili inside the box but his shot is well wide. He should’ve done much better from that angle.

36’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Brilliant save from Sommer to prevent Sweden from taking the lead. At full stretch, he denies Berg. You wonder why he has never played at a bigger club? The Swiss goalie performs with great consistency. Some trivia about Sommer: he does adverts for a facial cream and he runs his own food blog. He once played for Vaduz, the club from Liechtenstein’s capital, on loan from Basel. That was the first major chance of the game.

34’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Xhaka tries his luck with a shot from 40 yards. Over the bar without any trouble to Sweden goalkeeper.

31’ SWE 0-0 SUI

First yellow card of the day! It’s shown to Sweden’s Mikael Lustig. He will miss the quarter-final if Sweden qualify.

29’ SWE 0-0 SUI

What a save!

Berg’s shot from inside the box brings out the best from Switzerland goalkeeper Sommer.

One-handed save!

26’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Repeat mode, but it’s all Shaqiri for Switzerland. By sitting back Sweden seem to control the game, apart from dealing with the Swiss dangerman. His left foot and his crosses haven’t caused much havoc yet in the Swedish box.

24’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Another threatening ball from Shaqiri on the right. Zuber meets it with his head but it’s well wide.

18’ SWE 0-0 SUI

It’s a weird opening fifteen minutes. Tight and open at the same time! All the stray passing has opened up this game somewhat. Switzerland have a lot of traffic coming from the right channel with Shaqiri. He will be crucial to unlocking the Swedish defence.

Will we see the eagle celebration today?

Xherdan Shaqiri with 🇨🇭 on his left boot and 🇽🇰 on his right. pic.twitter.com/ced9GyBce6

— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) July 3, 2018

14’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Cliche alert, but it’s tight, lots of running and physicality, narrow spaces. Both Sweden and Switzerland have looked a bit sloppy in defending though and playing the ball out from the back. Are those nerves? From all the attempts Sweden have gotten so far, Marcus Berg should have done better. The Swiss defence, without Lichtsteiner, is brittle.

11’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Shaqiri’s good ball almost finds Dzemaili, who has only the goalkeeper to beat. The ball is bit too much for the attacking midfielder.

6’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Both teams are well-organised at the back. Might require something special from somebody to break the deadlock. So feels like the game will open up once the first goal is scored.  

Meanwhile, first shot on target from Switzerland. Zuber, though, hits straight to the goalkeeper.

2’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Don’t want to spoil the fun, but this is the third all-European second-round clash and both Spain-Russia and Croatia-Denmark were settled by penalties. Still, that wouldn’t stop these teams from playing out a 3-3 draw in regular time, would it?

1’ SWE 0-0 SUI

Alright then, the national anthems are done. And we have a kick-off at the St Petersburg Stadium. 

Emil Forsberg starts off the proceedings.

Switzerland’s golden generation

And the Swiss? The pressure on them to deliver, at least back home. It’s always a thin line between conviction and overestimation, but this is supposed to be Switzerland’s golden generation. Their sixth spot on the FIFA ranking is a bit deceiving though. The Swiss FA have always avoided playing big nations in friendlies to keep the Swiss in the top ten. The ‘Nati’ has not progressed to the last sixteen of the World Cup since 1954 when they hosted the tournament in its 16-team edition. They miss their Juventus full-back and Fabian Schar in the defense. They have only lost a single game in two years time, a 2-0 away World Cup qualification defeat at the hands of Portugal.

No Zlatan but no problem

Shall we mention him? Ok, just the one time then. No Zlatan in Russia, but you feel that the Swedish team has progressed without him; it’s bigger than the sum of its parts. With Zlatan in their ranks, Sweden miserably failed at the last European Championship in France and at other major championships. Leave Ibrahimovic where he is, in LA, welcoming that other champion of sport LeBron James. I interviewed Hamren before the World Cup and asked about Zlatan. He was rather coy about it. Hamren is a reserved person, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be angry. Remember his multiple tantrums against Germany. He will want him team to stick to the game plan and not deviate from it ‘by a millimetre.’

History is with Sweden!

#SWE have won three of their five World Cup meetings with #SUI, with the Swiss winning the other two#SWESUI #WorldCuphttps://t.co/Bj8YxrvxPc

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 3, 2018

Intriguing clash

It’s an intriguing clash, because both teams will fancy this: losing will be considered a failure. Sweden have obviously enjoyed a terrific group stage, progressing from a group with Germany, Mexico and South Korea. They impressed not merely results-wise, but in they way they have dealt with different opponents and different proposition. Hamren’s team knocked out the Netherlands and Italy on the way to Russia. They are a limited, but very versatile team, apt in containing and defeating whatever is thrown at them.

Hysterical World Cup

Welcome to episode 35,477 of this hysterical World Cup! Yes, after Neymar’s excellent performance and incessant histrionics and Belgium’s rearguard comeback against Japan on Monday, this is the last day of the round of the sixteen and, frankly, we want another day of hysterical, if not historical, World Cup action. Sweden – Switzerland is upon us soon! Oh wait, what aren’t those the same countries? No, this is not the launch of Spotify in New York. This is serious business, but in earnest this fixture doesn’t set the pulses racing, I’d say. Then again, who am I to defy the Gods of the global game? They have thrown so much drama at us in every game that I daresay this all-European encounter won’t disappoint, one way or the other. In fact, we must be grateful  to the Gods, because soon we will wake up one morning, realising that it’s all over for another four years. Can you imagine the enormity and the despair of the black hole that awaits us all on July 16th? So, enjoy every minute of it, including this game in St Petersburg. In the fullness of time we will know its outcome – Sweden or Switzerland will progress to the last eight.

Half-century for Sweden! 

50 - This will be Sweden's 50th game at the World Cup finals; only Mexico (57) have played more without ever winning the competition. Bridesmaids. #SWE #SUI #SWESUI #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/KTcxapgduM

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 3, 2018

Four changes for Switzerland

Suspended Fabian Schar and Stephan Lichtsteiner are out. Breel Embolo and Mario Gavranovic are also left out.

They are replaced by Johan Djourou, who was impressive in the team’s last game, Josip Drmic. Steven Zuber and Michael Lang.

One change for Sweden

Gustav Svensson coming on for suspended Sebastian Larsson.

The starting line-ups of both the teams are out

Sweden: Olsen, Lustig, Lindelof, Granqvist, Augustinsson, Ekdal, Forsberg, Svensson, Claesson, Berg, Toivonen.

Switzerland: Sommer, Lang, Akanji, Djourou, Rodriguez, Behrami, Xhaka, Shaqiri, Dzemaili, Zuber, Drmic.

Will this be your predicted XIs? Or will you like some changes?

“Gritty Sweden bank on team spirit, attritional play as Switzerland await in Round of 16”

Our writer Abhijit Bharali previews the Sweden vs Switzerland clash.

Hello and welcome to Firstpost’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2018’s Round of 16 match between Sweden and Switzerland.