Sweden took their chances and Switzerland didn\u2019t; so the Swedes progress to the quarters and the Swiss roll back home after the 1-0 result.<\/p>\n
Most of the pre-match talk was about Andreas Granqvist, whose wife was due to give birth some time during the game; he would have to wait to check the replay.<\/p>
But after the match all the conversation centred on the deflected shot from Emil Forsberg that gave the better team on the day the correct outcome.<\/p>\n
Yes, Switzerland did enjoy the bulk of possession, including almost a dozen corners, but the Swedes\u2019 defence was always in the way.<\/p>
There was little to enthuse about in the first half for either the fans of Switzerland\u2019s Red Crusaders not the ssons (excuse the pun) and daughters of Sweden.<\/p>\n
After the Belgium vs Japan heavyweight clash the game before, this was like watching the featherweights in action.<\/p>\n
There were few clear cut chances, mostly from the Swedish attackers.<\/p>\n
Swiss keeper Yann Sommer got his fingertips to a Marcus Berg that was destined for glory in the 27th<\/sup> minute.<\/p>\n Ten minutes later, at the other end, the ball was cut back to Blerim Dzemaili inside the box but he blazed it over.<\/p>\n The last good attempt came in the 40th<\/sup> minute when a perfect Mikael Lustig cross found Albin Ekdal but he had left his vertical path finder at home and from six metres his first time strike didn\u2019t trouble Sommer.<\/p>\n Sweden had won the half on points, but only just.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Swiss on a mission<\/strong><\/p>\n After Ola Toivonen blasted over for Sweden, the Swiss went on the rampage, winning four consecutive corners.<\/p>\n But the stalemate continued until the 66th<\/sup> minute when Forsberg\u2019s well struck, goal-bound strike deflected off Manuel Akanji (1-0).<\/p>\n But the Swiss were now on a mission. Either they score or they leave Russia with \u2018love\u2019, as they say in tennis.<\/p>\n Their 10th<\/sup> corner almost ended in a goal but Andreas Granqvist \u2013 the Rock of Sweden and best defender of the tournament – cleared the danger.<\/p>\n Shot after shot rained in, and as usual Xherdan Shaqiri was at the heart of the Swiss attacks.<\/p>\n But the Stoke City man is the most one-footed player since Long John Silver and couldn\u2019t seem to get anything \u2018right\u2019 on the day.<\/p>\n Haris Seferovic saw his fine header smothered at his feet by Olsen in added time but, as so often happens, a breakaway counter saw Martin Olsson of Swansea set free and bearing down on a probable goal had it not been for a shove in his back by Michael Lang.<\/p>\n Lang was shown red and VAR showed the offence to have been committed just outside the box.<\/p>\n Toivonon took the free kick. It missed, but it didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n The ref blew full time and Sweden are through to the quarter finals.<\/p>\n