PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Sweden is ready for the WC semi-final!
After a very impressive win against Japan.
Blågult won 2-1 after a huge drama in the WC quarter-final, thanks to goals by Amanda Ilestedt and Filippa Angeldahl.
Our Swedish soccer ladies just continue to impress and exceed expectations in the FIFA World Cup 2023. After knocking out the world number one USA in the round of 16, a tougher challenge ahead of time awaited Japan in the quarter-finals.
Blue-yellow dream start
But Sweden showed no respect to the tournament’s successful team until today, instead stepping out and pressing hard against the Japanese right from the start. After a convincing start, Blågult got a reward after 32 minutes when our new goal queen Amanda Ilestedt carefully stayed in front and knocked in the 1-0 goal.
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It was the centre-back’s fourth overall in this championship and with that she is unexpectedly second in the shooting league for the WC. Kosovar Asllani then came incredibly close to extending the lead before the half-time break but her hard shot hit the post.
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Swedish victory
Sweden went straight into the second half and it wasn’t long before they were awarded a penalty in the 51st minute. Step forward Filippa Angeldahl and safely placed the all-important 2-0 goal.
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Japan then got a golden opportunity to get back into the game with a penalty kick with a quarter of an hour remaining. But it went straight into the crossbar and bounced down on the wrong side of the goal line, and Sweden’s kept zero was still intact.
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But with only a few minutes left, the reduction came from Japan, which turned everything into a huge drama in the final stages. Sweden still managed to persevere and take a strong 2-1 victory after many nervous minutes at the end.
– This is not good for the heart… But Sweden is sorting this out, says the Viaplay commentator Henrik Strömblad.
– It was really uproar in the Swedish camp at the end. But what a match they make, Sweden! What a performance and how they do it. Everything was set today, says the expert colleague Saga Fredriksson in the broadcast.
Now the WC semi-final against Spain awaits on Tuesday and the hunt for a WC medal continues.
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