Sweden v Canada

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Sweden v Canada

Super Lindahl Save Sends Sweden Into Last Eight

by Jeremy Ruane

A superb penalty save by Sweden's Helvig Lindahl inspired her country to earn a FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-final clash with Germany in four days' time, after edging out Canada 1-0 in front of 38,078 fans at Paris' Parc des Princes on June 24.

To say the first half was cagey is an understatement. There was very little between these well-matched teams during the opening forty-five minutes, with neither goalkeeper called upon to make a save as defenders dominated proceedings, Canada's Kadeisha Buchanan and Sweden's Hanna Glas catching the eye with their efforts.

Sofia Jakobsson's eighteenth minute attempt, after bursting through three challenges, and Jessie Fleming's effort four minutes later, after Shelina Zadorsky and Christine Sinclair had teamed up, were the only shots fired in anger during the first spell, but thankfully the shackles came off after the interval.

Sinclair fired a twenty-five yard free-kick past the post in the 53rd minute after Janine Beckie had been felled by Kosovare Asllani, who was instrumental when Sweden opened the scoring two minutes later, giving the game the goal it was crying out for.

Caroline Seger intercepted an Ashley Lawrence pass and instantly threaded the ball into the stride of Asllani, who took the ball on before delivering a deliciously weighted pass into the path of Stina Blackstenius, surging through the middle.

The striker had plenty to do, but successfully managed to steer a shot between the advancing Stephanie Labbe and the retreating figure of Zadorsky, who got her foot to the ball but was unable to prevent Blackstenius from breaking the deadlock.

They say goals change games, and if you ever needed evidence, here it was. Canada were now chasing the game, and proceeded to pile on the pressure in search of an early equaliser.

Sinclair set up Janine Beckie for a shot which Lindahl saved at her near post just shy of the hour mark, to which Sweden responded via a solo sortie from Fridolina Rolfo, who sent a shot on the run flashing past Labbe's left-hand post in the 62nd minute.

Back came the Canadians, subjecting the Swedish rearguard to an almighty onslaught, culminating in a cross from Beckie being headed wide by Sophie Schmidt. But in the build-up to this, a Desiree Scott shot struck the outstretched arm of Asllani, an incident picked up by the Video Assistant Referee.

Australian referee Kate Jacewicz considered the situation via her monitor, and after doing so, pointed to the penalty spot, sparking great delight among the Canadian supporters.

But their joy turned to despair seconds later as Beckie - a surprise penalty taker, given Sinclair is just two goals away from equaling Abby Wambach's

world record of 184 goals in international football - saw her well-struck spot-kick saved superbly to her right by the diving figure of Lindahl in the 69th minute.

Inspired by their custodian's denial, the Swedes swiftly gained the ascendancy, Rolfo weaving her way through three challenges before rattling the side-netting, after which a Glas-inspired raid culminated in Elin Rubensson whipping in a low cross intended for Blackstenius, only for Buchanan to intervene.

Ten minutes from time, Asllani whipped a free-kick into the danger zone which Canada scrambled to seeming safety. Freshly introduced substitute Nathalie Bjorn gathered the ball on the right before feeding Blackstenius, whose cross from the byline was touched on by Asllani for Rolfo.

She was brought down in the area by Lawrence, prompting referee Jacewicz to point to the penalty spot. But a VAR check afforded Canada a reprieve, as Blackstenius was marginally offside upon receiving Bjorn's pass, therefore no penalty.

For the benefit of Cameroon's players, it should be noted how the Swedish team reacted to this change of decision - no histrionics, no tantrums, no hissy fits! They simply got on with the job …

And they kept on coming. Four minutes from time, a Magdalena Eriksson free-kick picked out Asllani, whose volley was cleared off the line by Scott, stationed by Labbe's left-hand upright.

That denial sparked a late onslaught from Canada, whose Women's World Cup hopes were ebbing. But so sound was Sweden's defensive effort that they couldn't direct shots on target, with Zadorksy - after Adriana Leon's cross had been headed out by Bjorn - and Sophie Schmidt, set up by Sinclair, sending shots over the bar.

Back came Sweden, Jakobsson storming down the right on a solo raid before delivering a cross into the stride of Asllani, who was foiled by Schmidt's timely tackle, prompting Canada to press once more.

Deep in stoppage time, repeated set-piece deliveries from Leon were key to their hopes of a dramatic late equaliser, but Lindahl and her colleagues stood firm, and when the final whistle sounded, a fifth European team was assured of a spot in the FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-finals, as the 36-year-old Sinclair's hopes of glory on the greatest stage were dashed once more, quite possibly for the final time.

Sweden: Lindahl; Glas, Fischer, Sembrandt, Eriksson; Rubensson (Bjorn, 79), Asllani (booked, 68), Seger; Jakobsson, Blackstenius (Anvegard, 90), Rolfo (booked, 45) (Hurtig, 89)

Canada: Labbe; Lawrence, Buchanan (booked, 85), Zadorsky, Chapman (Riviere, 84); Prince (Leon, 64), Scott, Schmidt, Beckie (Quinn, 84); Sinclair, Fleming

Referee: Kate Jacewicz (Australia)

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