LOVREN IS JUST LOVING THE LIMELIGHT
POSSESSION SHOTS ON TARGET SHOTS OFF TARGET CORNERS OFFSIDE FOULS CARDS
THEY beat France in qualifying, knocked out Holland, and defeated Italy in the play-offs.
And now Janne Andersson’s Sweden have emerged on top of Group F after eliminating world champions Germany.
Sweden dismantled Mexico in Ekaterinburg to avenge their heartbreaking last-gasp loss to Germany on Saturday by sending Joachim Loew’s side out.
Given the organisation and teamwork they have displayed over the last two weeks, they fully deserve to reach the last
16 of the World Cup for a fourth consecutive time.
Mexico, outplayed here, were hugely relieved to squeeze through as runners-up because of Germany’s shock defeat by South Korea.
The game was notable for the fastest yellow card at a World Cup when Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo was booked after just 15 seconds for clattering Ola Toivonen.
Mexico struggled to deal with the resultant free-kick and that set the tone as Sweden continually troubled them with their set-pieces.
Skipper and former Wigan centrehalf Andreas Granqvist was a threat and Marcus Berg hit an overhead DEJAN LOVREN is aiming to top the Bil – and make Croatian history.
Slaven Bilic – along with Igor Stimac, Davor Suker and Robert Prosiniki – are still feted in their homeland as part of Croatia’s golden generation who clinched third place at the France 98 World Cup.
Twenty years on, Liverpool Sweden Mexico Southkorea Germany kick wide from his header at a corner. Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa then touched over Berg’s effort from another corner after Emil Forsberg hit a right-foot effort over the bar.
Andersson was furious when referee Nestor Pitana refused to award Sweden a penalty for handball against Javier Hernandez, despite being asked by VAR to review the incident. The West Ham striker controlled the ball between his chest and right arm.
Mexico, with six points from their opening two games, needed only a point to guarantee progression to the knock-out stages but that seemed to play havoc with their approach.
They were poor, threatening only sporadically through Carlos Vela and Hernandez.
Sweden deservedly made the breakthrough in the 50th minute.
Seb Larsson, suspended for Sweden’s last-16 game, fed Berg on the right and, when Viktor Claesson missed his cross, the ball fell to Ludwig Augustinsson, who scored his first international goal.
Sweden scored a second from the penalty spot on 62 minutes after Hector Moreno brought down Berg – Granqvist expertly dispatched his second spot-kick of the tournament.
Mexico collapsed and gifted Sweden a comical third on 74 minutes when defender Edson Alvarez missed Isaac Kiese Thelin’s flick-on and the ball went in off his left hand. P W D 3 2 0 3 2 0 3 1 0 3 1 0 defender Lovren (left) believes the present day stars have the quality to surpass their heroes – and reach the World Cup final in Russia.
“I was nine back in 98 but I remember it clearly. I remember my mum screaming in the house, when we scored a goal,” recalls Lovren.
“At that time I wasn’t feeling that moment as much as everyone else L GD Pts 1 3 6 1 -1 6 2 0 3 2 -2 3 because I was outside playing football myself. But afterwards, I knew the third place was a big result.
“I’ve had the luck to have both Slaven and Igor as coaches with Croatia, so I have learned from the best. They have the record, and I want to beat them, of course. I want people to remember my name in the future, not theirs,” he laughed.