Live Ticker: Sweden 1 : 0 Paraguay
June 15, 2006Group B continues with Sweden vs. Paraguay
Sweden and Paraguay are still looking for their first win of the 2006 World Cup. For Sweden, things are a little less desperate despite grinding out a 0-0 draw with Trinidad and Tobago, they do have a point and are therefore second behind group leaders England. Paraguay are bottom with T&T and need a win to leapfrog Sweden into the last qualifying berth.
The teams for tonight's crunch Group B match:
Sweden (3-5-2):
1-Andreas Isaksson; 3-Olof Mellberg, 4-Teddy Lucic, 5-Erik Edman; 6-Tobias Linderoth, 7-Niclas Alexandersson, 9-Fredrik Ljungberg, 21-Christian Wilhelmsson, 16-Kim Kallstrom; 10-Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 11-Henrik Larsson
Coach: Lars Lagerback
Paraguay (4-4-2):
22-Aldo Bobadilla; 21-Denis Caniza, 5-Julio Cesar Caceres, 4-Carlos Gamarra, 2-Jorge Nunez; 6-Carlos Bonet, 10-Roberto Acuna, 13-Carlos Paredes, 16-Cristian Riveros; 9-Roque Santa Cruz, 18-Nelson Haedo Valdez
Coach: Anibal Ruiz
The teams troop out onto the pristine pitch
The teams enter the Olympiastadion and send the sell-out crowd wild. There's much at stake for both these teams and everyone is hoping for an open, attacking game with no holds barred.
The anthems sound in Berlin
The Swedes are in fine voice. The fans will be hoping that their team will also be on song tonight. Paraguay's more jaunty anthem seems to be a little more difficult to sing along to...But the players are equally proud and look to be ready to do it justice on the pitch.
1. min.
Sweden gets the game underway
1. min.
Paraguay are playing a variation of the 4-4-2 formation with Santa Cruz just behind Valdez up front. The Swedes are playing a more traditional system with Larsson and Ibrahimovic up front side by side but with a five man midfield behind them and three at the back.
3. min.
Caniza gets the first yellow for a foul on Ljungberg
3. min.
Ljungberg was flying down the flank there but Denis Caniza took him out at full speed. The first booking in just three minutes.
4. min.
The referee will have to be strict tonight as Paraguay look to play their hardman reputation to the hilt. Swedes are littering the pitch! Another foul and in a dangerous position. Free-kick Sweden.
5. min.
The free-kick is struck straight at the wall
6. min.
Sweden are making all the early running and Paraguay have barely left their own half.
8. min.
The Swedes are using the width of the pitch very well and a sweeping move finds Källstrom on the edge of the area. His shot is rising and Bobadilla has to tip it over. Corner Sweden.
10. min.
Ibrahimovic glances the inswinging corner to the back post but Teddy Lucic can't connect with the goal begging.
12. min.
Sweden go close again
Wilhelmsson whips in a great shot from the right that just skims past the left post after great link play by Larsson and Ibrahimovic.
13. min.
Linderoth gets the first Swedish card.
14. min.
Santa Cruz gets on the end of a looping header over the defense but his chipped shot is wide of Isaksson's goal and he is offside anyway.
15. min.
Ljungberg speeds away from Caniza and belts down the wing. He cuts the ball to Ibrahimovic who slides a pass past Bobadilla in the Paraguay goal but Larsson can't reach it.
18. min.
Nelson Valdez gets a shot in on the turn but it clips a dfeneder. Corner Paraguay.
19. min.
Nunez hits the corner long but his team mates have all flocked into the penalty box. Isaksson gathers and Sweden attack again.
20. min.
The pace is relentless. Paraguay are now enjoying more possession but Sweden are tigerish in the tackle and when they win the ball back, they counter at speed.
21. min.
Nelson Valdez is seeing a lot of the ball and he looks a constant threat when he has it. Luckily for Sweden, their defenders have him in their pocket when he reaches the final third of the pitch.
24. min.
Wilhelmsson battles with two Paraguayan defenders and gets the ball free in the area but Roberto Acuna cuts across him and gets a shove as a result. The Swede protests the decision going against him but he has no case.
27. min.
Ljungberg terrorizes Caniza again and gets Ibrahimovic in. He passes back to Lucic and the clever through ball finds Wilhelmsson alone in the box. He doesn't see the goalie coming and the ball is picked off the end of his toe.
31. min.
For all Sweden's industry and chances, it looks very much like the performance that yielded nothing against Trinidad & Tobago.
32. min.
Valdez again gets among the defenders to get on the end of a Santa Cruz knock-down header but, after finding a yard, he blazes over.
33. min.
Ibrahimovic gets a good jump on the Paraguayan defense, loops the ball obver to his striking partner and Larsson dives in front of Caceres but his header goes straight to Bobadilla. It's end-to-end stuff!
36. min.
The Swedes are looking a little frustrated. They are having more of the ball and the better chances but the whistling from the stands and the lack of goals is starting to get to them.
38. min.
As if to make things worse, Jorge Nunez appears on the left flank and drills a shot across Andreas Isaksson's goal.
41. min.
Larsson again looks dangerous; his overhead kick is blocked and Freddie Ljungberg's follow up is preceded by a foul.
43. min.
The Swedes are continuing to plug away at the Paraguayan defense but it holds firm.
45. min.
Half-time: Sweden and Paraguay draw a blank
45. min.
No goals for either of these teams at the 2006 World Cup yet. Sweden have had the best chances but it hasn't been one way traffic. Paraguay have had their fair share.
45. min.
Second half: Paraguay gets the game restarted
45. min.
Marcus Allbäck is on for Zlatan Ibrahimovic
46. min.
The first chance of the half sees Nelson Valdez beat two Sweden defenders to the ball in the area but he hits the side netting with his shot.
47. min.
Teddy Lucic scythes down Valdez and gets booked
49. min.
Roberto Acuna is the next in the book
There is some revenge going on out there as Valdez is again chopped down and then Acuna evens the score.
52. min.
The spate of fouls continues. Ljungberg is chopped down by Acuna on the edge of the area. A dangerous area for a free-kick.
53. min.
Larsson whacks the ball through the wall and Bobadilla beats the shot away to safety.
56. min.
Acuna and Santa Cruz link well after a great run by Bonet on the right wing. The defender crosses, Acuna touches it to Santa Cruz who plays it back for Acuna to shoot at goal. Isaksson is equal to it.
58. min.
Sweden miss an open goal!
Marcus Allbäck is clean through...he only has Bobadillo to beat...he lobs him but Caniza rushes back to hook the ball off the line!
61. min.
Dos Santos comes on for Riveros
62. min.
Roque Santa Cruz for Dante Lopez
63. min.
Paraguay look to inject some pace as Wilhelmsson slices a good effort just wide for the Swedes.
65. min.
Marcus Allbäck is a more imposing and bullish striker than Ibrahimovic but at the moment the Swedes are missing the big Juventus man's subtlety.
68. min.
Wilhelmsson makes way for Mattias Jonson
Lars Lagerback sends on a new striker in a bid to win the game with just over 20 minutes to play in this hugely imporatnt game for both teams.
70. min.
Denis Caniza tries a long range shot when Nelson Valdez is better positioned off his marker's shoulder. The shot is a mess and Valdez makes his feelings abundantly clear.
75. min.
With 15 minutes to go, the game has run out of steam and both teams are looking devoid of ideas. 75 minutes of sussing each other out has left few surprises and the hectic pace has ground a number of players down.
79. min.
Allbäck has another clear chance
Larsson heads down to Allbäck and he hooks a shot over his shoulder from a meter out and Bobadilla holds the shot spectacularly.
82. min.
Paraguay have been reduced to speculative long shots which are not troubling Isaksson but are causing stress among the South American team mates.
84. min.
Barretto gets a card for wrestling Ljungberg to the ground
86. min.
Kallstrom comes off for Elmander
Lars Lagerback takes off a midfielder for a strong, aggressive striker as he goes for broke.
88. min.
GOAL SWEDEN
88. min.
Ljungberg starts the Swedish party!
The new man Elmander speeds down the right wing and sends a deep cross over; Allbäck heads it back and Freddie Ljungberg runs into the box and finishes in style.
90. min.
The FIFA official reveals there will be three minutes of added time.
90+1. min.
Ljungberg gets another shot in and it's just turned around the post by Bobadilla. Corner Sweden.
90+2. min.
The corner is charged down and the Swedes look to wind the clock down.
90+3. min.
Full-time: Sweden win in dramatic style!!
90+3. min.
Sweden move into second; Paraguay are out
A win for Sweden and three points to add to the single one they had before this game. Sweden now inhabit the second spot in Group B and will play England to see who finishes top in five days time. Paraguay join Costa Rica and Poland in an early exit from the 2006 World Cup.