Sweden brush aside Mexico to top table and seal progress to knock-out stages as Group F winners

Sweden brush aside Mexico to top table

Sweden bounced back from the disappointment of last weekend's last-minute defeat to Germany in emphatic style on Wednesday with a 3-0 victory over Mexico as Janne Andersson's side sealed their progress to the knockout stages as Group F winners.

After finishing the first half goalless, Sweden broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half through full-back Ludwig Augustinsson before captain Andreas Granqvist doubled their lead from the penalty spot just after the hour mark.

Sweden's place in the last 16 was secured after Mexico defender Edson Álvarez put to ball into the back of his own net when the ball bounced off his hand as he tried to clear a cross.

Despite suffering their first defeat of the tournament, Mexico joined Sweden in the knock-out stages after Germany failed to beat South Korea in Kazan as the world champions were eliminated from the World Cup.


Some stats for you

•     Sweden have now reached the Last 16 of the World Cup on each of the last four occasions in which they have qualified for the tournament.
•     This was Sweden’s biggest win in a World Cup game since they defeated Bulgaria 4-0 in 1994 in a third-place playoff match.
•     Mexico have reached the Last 16 in each of the last eight World Cup tournaments they have taken part in.
•     Andreas Granqvist is the first Swede to score two or more goals in a single World Cup tournament since Henrik Larsson in 2002 (3 goals).
•     This was Mexico’s worst defeat at the World Cup since they were defeated 0-6 by Germany in 1978.
•     Mexico full-back Edson Alvarez scored the seventh own-goal of this tournament – more than there has ever been in any previous World Cup.
•     Ludwig Augustinsson’s opener for Sweden was the first goal he has ever scored at international level with the senior team, with what was his first shot at this tournament.
•     Mexico had 20 shots today but failed to find the net with any of them – they last had more shots without scoring in a World Cup game against Germany in 1978 (22).
•     Mexico’s Jesús Gallardo was shown a yellow card after just 15 seconds in this game – it is the fastest anyone has ever been shown a card at the World Cup.
•     This was the first game of this year’s World Cup tournament in which both teams named unchanged line-ups from their previous matches.

source: telegraph.co.uk