Germany v Sweden

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Germany v Sweden

Sweden Come From Behind To Stun Germany

by Jeremy Ruane

Sweden came from behind to stun reigning Olympic champions Germany 2-1 in front of 25,301 fans at Roazhon Park in Rennes on June 29, in doing so qualifying for the 2020 Olympics at the expense of the Germans, and booking a FIFA Women's World Cup semi-final against Holland in four days' time.

The Germans began brightly, dominating possession early, with Hedvig Lindahl called upon to save from both Lina Magull - a free-kick - and Sara Daebritz inside the first seven minutes.

Sweden were given hope by some sloppy German play at the back, however, and while they weren't able to capitalise on the first error, they gained further encouragement in the twelfth minute when Fridolina Rolfo threaded a pass through to reward Sofia Jakobsson's angled run through the inside left channel.

On this occasion, she was thwarted by the outstretched leg of Almuth Schult, but the outcome would be different ten minutes later, by which time Germany had taken the lead thanks to a Swedish defensive blunder.

Magdalena Eriksson gifted possession to Daebritz in the sixteenth minute, and the midfielder instantly set off on a driving run towards goal before clipping a delightfully weighted pass into the stride of Magull.

Her emphatic volleyed finish careered through the legs of Lindahl - 1-0 to the reigning Olympic champions, over the team they beat to claim the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro three years ago.

After Schult had grabbed a Rolfo cross intended for Kosovare Asllani, and Lindahl had kept out a Lea Schuller header after the striker was picked out by Svenja Huth, Sweden stunned the Germans with a 22nd minute equaliser.

Linda Sembrandt hoisted the ball downfield, and Marina Hegering misjudged the flight of the ball - a fatal error, as Jakobsson dashed through behind her onto the ball, outpaced the defence then fired under the diving figure of Schult and in by the far post to level the scores.

Germany were rocked by conceding their first goal of the tournament, and could well have conceded a second before half-time. Caroline Seger combined with Rolfo to send Stina Blackstenius racing through on goal in the 36th minute, with Schult forced to tip her rising drive over the bar.

Six minutes later, the German goalkeeper combined with Sara Doorsoun to prevent Blackstenius from latching onto Nilla Fischer's lofted ball forward, with the resulting corner not cleared by the goalkeeper. Hegering was able to come to her rescue this time, heading the danger to safety.

Three minutes into the second half, the formbook was turned upside down and inside out, as Sweden took the lead. Asllani played the ball wide to Jakobsson, who swept past an opponent before delivering a cross to the far post.

Rolfo's angled header was thwarted by a brilliant

parried save to her left by Schult, only for Blackstenius to latch onto the ball and slam it into the roof of the net from four yards - 2-1 Sweden. WOW!

How would Germany react to this? The answer was not very well at all. Despite enjoying the greater share of possession, they created very little, and it wasn't until the last ten minutes that they truly threatened the Swedish goal.

Prior to that, Lindahl presented them with a chance when venturing out of her penalty area and directing the ball straight to Daebritz, who couldn't direct her long-range effort on target with the goalkeeper beating a hasty retreat towards her goal in the 57th minute.

Sweden looked to hit their rivals on the break, with Blackstenius dashing in off the left in the 71st minute. She took on two opponents and raced into the penalty area before losing her footing at the vital moment, allowing Hegering to avert the threat.

Seven minutes later, Asllani fed Jakobsson wide on the right, from where she set sail for goal. Wrong-footing Hegering, she unleashed a shot which Schult blocked well at her near post.

The offside flag foiled Alexandra Popp's bid to level the scores eight minutes from time - a Video Assistant Referee penalty check for the same incident confirmed the call of the referee's assistant.

Six minutes later, chances at both ends materialised, with Dzsenifer Marozsan's free-kick to the far post headed narrowly past the post by fellow substitute Lena Oberdorf. Lindahl's goal-kick saw Sweden respond instantly, Rolfo's angled pass inviting Blackstenius to let fly - she directed her effort over the bar.

Back came the Germans, a Daebritz drive being smothered by Lindahl, seconds after the goalkeeper's panicked clearance under pressure from Popp. Marozsan and Huth then combined on the right, with the resulting cross to the far post being headed over from three yards by Hegering, Germany's last chance to take the game to extra time.

When the final whistle sounded, there was a sense of disbelief in Sweden's reaction, as Germany have had the Indian sign over them for quite some time. Not any more. And a semi-final showdown with Holland allows the Swedes the chance to reach the Women's World Cup Final for the second time.

No prizes for guessing who defeated them in the 2003 final. Revenge for that result sixteen years later was oh so sweet for Sweden.

Germany: Schult; Gwinn, Doorsoun, Hegering, Simon (Maier, 43); Daebritz, Dallmann (Marozsan, 46), Magull; Huth, Popp, Schueller (Oberdorf, 69)

Sweden: Lindahl; Glas, Fischer (Ilestedt, 66), Sembrant, Eriksson; Rubensson (Bjorn, 86), Asllani, Seger; Jakobsson, Blackstenius, Rolfo (booked, 56) (Hurtig, 90)

Referee: Stephanie Frappart (France)

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