Dwell
Sweden has denied South Africa a first-ever Ladies’s World Cup level, claiming an Ninetieth-minute winner over the underdogs in Wellington.
Amanda Ilestadt broke South African hearts along with her header from Kosovare Asllani’s nook simply as full-time loomed on Sunday night.
On a shiver-inducing evening, Hildah Magaia surprised the world third-ranked Swedes with the opening purpose, sparking a mini-pitch invasion from the bench for South Africa, ranked 54th on this planet.
Sweden’s Fridolina Rolfo, who scored the winner in final month’s European Champions League ultimate for Barcelona, equalised on 65 minutes, organising a frenzied end.
After Sweden knocked on the door for half an hour, Ilestadt leapt highest for a winner from Sweden’s eleventh nook of the match.
Arriving on the stadium and dancing and singing their method from the bus to their change room, South Africa merited a degree for his or her bodily and affected person counter-attacking play.
Nonetheless, the primary half was forgettable, with Sweden’s tippy-tappy soccer not helped by the relentless drizzle.
On the half-hour mark, Magaia was lucky to not concede a penalty when a goal-bound shot from Filippa Angeldahl struck her elbow.
The Scandinavians’ finest possibilities got here from crosses, with Ilestedt heading corners in fast succession broad and over the purpose.
South Africa struck three minutes after the restart, when the indefatigable Thembi Kgatlana raced onto a protracted ball and reduce inside to shoot.
Her effort was palmed away by Zecira Musovic into the trail of Magaia, who arrived first at pace to knock the ball into an empty internet.
As she hurtled in direction of purpose, the South African was ankle-tapped by Jonna Andersson, sending her into into the online, tangled and harm.
Whereas her Banyana Banyana teammates danced in celebration, Magaia remained strewn on the bottom and in want of help.
The 28-year-old was substituted 10 minutes later as Sweden upped the ante in the hunt for an equaliser.
It arrived quickly afterwards, with Rolfo bundling dwelling a cross from Chelsea’s Johanna Kaneryd with defender Lebohang Ramalepe all at sea.
From that time, Sweden monopolised possession and repeatedly threatened South Africa’s purpose.
Kaneryd thought she had blown it when she missed a free header on 88 minutes, with South African goalkeeper Kaylin Swart slipping and the purpose at her mercy.
Up stepped Arsenal defender Ilestedt to provide the Group G favourites an anticipated win, however one earned with sudden hardship.
-AAP