World Cup 2018, Mexico vs Sweden Highlights: Sweden Beat Mexico 3-0 To Top Group F
FIFA World Cup 2018, Highlights: Sweden finished top of Group F after beating Mexico 3-0 at the Ekaterinburg Arena.
Sweden surged into the last 16 of the World Cup with a deserved 3-0 victory on Wednesday over a poor Mexico side, who still qualified ahead of Germany after the holders' loss to South Korea. The Swedes went through to the knockout rounds as the unlikely winners of Group F, taking the beaten Mexicans with them. Second-half goals from defenders Ludwig Augustinsson and Andreas Granqvist, from the penalty spot, plus a comical own goal were reward for a physical display from Sweden, who only made it to Russia by beating Italy in the play-offs. They and Mexico, who were ragged throughout, will next play whichever two teams emerge out of Brazil, Switzerland and Serbia in Group E, which concludes later on Wednesday. (Highlights: Mexico vs Sweden)
Highlights of 2018 FIFA World Cup, Mexico vs Sweden Group F match, straight from the Ekaterinburg Arena
21:32 IST: Thank you for joining us for the live blog.
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 27, 2018
Swede dreams are made of this. #MEXSWE pic.twitter.com/DP7S1Zlspd
21:30 IST: Sweden beat Mexico 3-0 to top Group F. Mexico also qualify for the Round of 16.
20:58 IST:Â Free-kick for Mexico. Fabian curls the ball in, where Javier Hernandez gets a free header but the ball flies over the post.
20:50 IST: GOAL! Andreas Granqvist scores from the spot to double Sweden's lead. Marcus Berg makes a run down the middle as Hector Moreno slides and tackles him. Berg falls and referee points towards the spot. Andreas Granqvist scores from the spot yet again. | Mexico 0-2 Sweden.
20:45 IST:Â If things stand this way, Germany will crash out of the tournament.
20:40 IST: GOAL ! Augustinsson scores to put Sweden in the lead in the 50th minute. Sweden's left-back Ludwig Augustinsson scores his first ever goal for Sweden. Viktor Claesson makes a run down the right flank and his cross his calmly received by Augustinsson, who puts the ball past the Mexican keeper.
20:34 IST:Â The second-half between Mexico and Sweden begins at the Ekaterinburg Arena | Mexico 0-0 Sweden.
20:18 IST: HALF-TIME | Mexico 0-0 Sweden.
0-0 // 0-0#KORGER // #MEXSWE pic.twitter.com/9e9xGN4UIp
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20:16 IST:Â Lozano makes a run down the left flank, passes to Vela who was further down in the left flank, crosses but the Sweden captain clears the ball away easily.
20:15 IST:Â Three minutes of added time to a first-half that has been full of chances for both the teams.
20:10 IST:Â Last five minutes of the first-half to be played and it is still goalless.
As you were in both #MEXSWE and #KORGER so far...#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/N2sn3dsw0q
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20:07 IST:Â Mexico lose out on another opportunity as Vela beats couple of Swedish defender but sends the ball off target. Sweden are being tested here as Mexico are easily penetrating their defence and creating multiple chances.
20:00 IST: 30 minutes are up and it is still Mexico 0-0 Sweden at the Ekaterinburg Arena.
19:59 IST:Â Sweden ask for penalty due to Hernandez's hand ball inside the D. Referee takes the help of VAR and judges rules out a penalty.
19:55 IST:Â Marcus Berg sends a cross towards Toivonen in the middle but Guillermo Ochoa leaps in the air and collects the ball with ease. Sebastian Larsson gets booked for his high foot as Hirving Lozano was making a run down the left flank. He will be missing his next match, should Sweden go through.
19:52 IST: Trivia --Â Mexico have lost only two of their last 19 World Cup group stage matches.
19:50 IST:Â Mexico are slowly growing in the game, making more chances to score but the Sweden defence is clearing the ball away without hassle.
19:46 IST: 16th minute --Â Lozano gets the ball across to Carlos Vela just outside the box, who beats a couple of Swedish defenders, but shoots the ball wide of the target.
19:40 IST: 10 minutes are up --Â Sweden are showing great character as they are putting the opposition under immense pressure with multiple attacks and ball possession.
19:34 IST: Sweden get yet another free-kick as Ochoa collected the ball outside the box. Emil Forsberg curls the ball in and Ochoa shows great reflex skills to palm the ball away. Mexicans have been put under great pressure within five minutes of the game.
19:31 IST: Sweden get a free-kick early on in the game as Jesus Gallardo gets booked for an ugly tackle. Sebastian Larsson curls the ball in as the ball misses both the Sweden captain Andreas Granqvist and the other players in the box as the Mexican defence clears the ball away with no harm.
19:30 IST: KICK-OFF! Sweden get us underway at the Ekaterinbug Arena.
19:24 IST:Â Both teams are out in the middle and the national anthems are being sung.
19:00 IST:Â Mexico and Sweden have arrived at the Ekaterinburg Arena.
The teams are here for #MEXSWE
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TV listings https://t.co/xliHcxWvEO
18:30 IST:Â The starting XI for Mexico and Sweden have been announced.
TEAM NEWS // #MEXSWE #MEX #SWE pic.twitter.com/2orjGZE0ZH
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18:10 IST:Â FIFA.com quoted Anders "Taco" Svensson as saying, "It's time for a decisive match against Mexico and I have prepared some Mexican food here... and this is the last time I will eat this if Mexico knock out Sweden. So it's an extreme sacrifice from me, so you better beat them. A huge good luck, come on Sweden!"
18:07 IST:Â Fun fact -- According to FIFA.com, it is a tradition in Sweden to eat tacos ( a Mexican dish) on Fridays. And Anders Svensson, Sweden's most capped player in history with 148 caps, had been given the nickname "Taco" after he had mentioned in an interview that his favourite food was indeed tacos. So, before the start of the match, Svensson said that he will never eat tacos again if Mexico beat Sweden.
18:03 IST:Â "As a team, we want to make our own history," says Mexico's Javier Hernandez.
"As a team, we want to make our own history"
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How far do you think @CH14_ and #MEX can get in this year's #WorldCup in Russia? pic.twitter.com/FxqZhMXoD7
18:00 IST: Hello and welcome to the live blog of the Group F match between Mexico and Sweden straight from the Ekaterinburg Arena.
Star player Javier Hernandez became the first Mexican player to score 50 goals for his country -- in 104 appearances -- with his strike against South Korea. As West Ham fans know well, the 30-year-old can be hit and miss, yet "Chicharito" seems to reserve his best performances for the green of Mexico. "He's a great goalscorer, but offers a lot more than that," said Mexico team-mate Miguel Layun. "He's an incredibly dynamic player. He makes four or five runs when others might just make one. "And he's always in the right place at the right time," the Porto defender said.
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