Sweden produced a stunning 5-0 rout of Italy in their FIFA Women's World Cup Finals encounter before 29,143 fans at Sky Stadium on 29 July to advance to the knockout phase of the competition, their set-piece prowess proving potent in this captivating all-European encounter. Italy settled swiftly, Sofia Cantore's fiercely struck drive just twenty-five seconds after kick-off requiring two bites of the cherry by Zecira Musovic before Sweden's goalkeeper could complete the save. They continued to knock on the door, immensely talented youngster Giulia Dragoni inspiring their efforts, and fifteen minutes later, Cantore threatened again, engineering space in the penalty area from which to unleash a ten yard drive which Musovic blocked unconvincingly. Lucia Di Guglielmo was following up, but thrashed her shot into the side-netting. Sweden hadn't even looked like it early doors, but got a foothold in the game halfway through the first half, following a poor Francesca Durante goal kick. Stina Blackstenius was the beneficiary, but Elena Linari's vital clearance thwarted her progress. Durante smothered a twenty-five yarder from Elin Rubensson soon afterwards, after which Manuela Giugliano stepped in to prevent a Kosovare Asllani cross from reaching its intended target, Sweden's captain having been played in by Blackstenius. In the 27th minute, Asllani and Filippa Angeldal worked a neat-one two which resulted in Fridolina Rolfo getting in on the left. Her drive was bravely blocked by Di Guglielmo, but the Swedes swiftly regained possession. Blackstenius' cross found Asllani and Rubensson in the thick of the action, the ball breaking for Rolfo to let fly, only for Linari to block her effort, at the expense of a corner. Asllani delivered it right into the danger zone, and Durante managed to punch it away despite the presence of three yellow-shirted rivals in the immediate vicinity. Three goals in the six minutes before half-time completely turned this game on its hand - quite where this version of Sweden had been in the first twenty minutes Lord alone knows, but "Le Azzurre" certainly had no answers to it. Set pieces were the Italians' Achilles heel, and Sweden exploited this shortcoming ruthlessly. Jonna Andersson's deliveries from corners were key to this dismantling, Amanda Ilestedt heading home the first at the near post in the 39th minute. Italy were still reeling from this blow when Di Guglielmo's under-hit back-pass was pounced on by Blackstenius, who was in the process of rounding Durante when the goalkeeper, hurtling out of her penalty area, stunned the striker with a superbly timed tackle. Rubensson picked up the pieces, but Di Guglielmo recovered to thwart her progress at the expense of a corner.

Cue another pinpoint Andersson delivery to the near post, Linari's attempt to head clear only succeeding in diverting the ball to Rolfo on the far post - 2-0, but only briefly, for within ninety seconds, Sweden had made it 3-0. Rubensson's back-heeled pass to Angeldal saw her work a one-two with Asllani before bursting into the penalty area, from where she whipped a low cross beyond Durante. Blackstenius was on hand to tuck home, putting the "Blagult" in dreamland. Before the half-time whistle blew, Italy looked to strike back, Chiara Beccari's shot being blocked after Sweden had failed to clear Lisa Boattin's free-kick. But they were well and truly shell-shocked at finding themselves three goals down in such a short period of time, and things were to get worse within five minutes of the resumption of play. Angeldal sent the ball screaming past the post just two minutes after the kick-off, having latched onto a clearance from Cecilia Salvai. Soon after, a succession of Andersson corners had the Italians on tenterhooks, and from the third of them, Ilestedt headed in at the near post once again - 4-0, and effectively, game over. Rubensson sent a shot sizzling over the bar following another Andersson corner in the 55th minute, after which the momentum of the game was broken up by a combination of substitutions and Sweden easing off the throttle - there was no way they were going to lose from here! Indeed, they threatened to score again in the 61st minute, Ilestedt turning provider this time with a lobbed ball over the defence which invited Blackstenius to dash through the inside right channel and beat the offside trap. She fired past the approaching figure of Durante but past the near post also. Italy looked to score a consolation goal twenty minutes from time, only for Ilestedt to block Giada Greggi's shot, while three minutes from time, Sweden's goalscoring defender's presence prevented Italian substitute Valentina Giacinti from firing on target after she had been picked out by Cantore. The final whistle sounded soon after Sweden went nap, substitute Rebecka Blomqvist skipping past Linari on the counter-attack and racing half the length of the field before slotting home beyond Durante to wrap up a comprehensive victory and confirm the Swedes' passage into the knockout phase of the competition, something Italy can still achieve despite this stunning result. Sweden:     Musovic; Bjorn, Ilestedt, Eriksson, Andersson; Angeldal, Asllani (Janogy, 62), Rubensson (Seger, 75); Kaneryd (Jakobsson, 75), Blackstenius, Rolfo (Schough, 62) Italy:          Durante; Di Guglielmo (Lenzini, 59), Linari, Salvai, Boattin; Giugliano, Dragoni (Greggi, 59), Caruso (Cernoia, 71); Bonansea (Serturini, 59), Cantore, Beccari (Giacinti, 75) Referee:     Cheryl Foster (Wales)