Sweden 1 : 1 Argentina
June 12, 2002
Sweden - Anders Svensson 59'
Sweden drew Argentina to top Group F and move onto a second round date with Senegal. They are joined by England, who drew with Nigeria and will face Denmark. Argentina join co-favourites France out at the first hurdle.
Despite dominating possession and having the lion's share of dangerous chances, Argentina were frustrated repeatedly by the resilient Swedish defence and their own finishing. A brilliant second half free-kick by Anders Svensson. and Hernan Crespo's follow-up on a saved penalty were the only goals. Two-time champion Argentina have not been eliminated in the FIFA World Cup&trade first-round since 1962.
Neither team looked very dangerous in the opening minutes. They traded early free kicks, first by Sweden’s Henrik Larsson (6’) and then by Argentina’s Gabriel Batistuta (8’), but neither player’s shot was anywhere close to the mark.
Argentina had the first good chance when Javier Zanetti served a cross from the right wing to Juan Sorin in the goal area, but
his downward header was well saved by Sweden goalkeeper Magnus Hedman (14’).
Although they missed that chance, it seemed to lend confidence to Argentina, and they began to attack with imagination and creativity that was absent in their match against England. It was not long before Sorin had another great chance, this time after a cross from Claudio Lopez on the left wing, but Sorin headed over the crossbar (17’).
After one long stretch of sustained pressure, Ariel Ortega served a wonderful cross to Lopez in space in the left side of the penalty area, but the Lazio forward’s powerful volley went well over the bar (28’). Minutes later, Ortega again found Lopez with a cross, and again Lopez could not get his volley on goal (30’).
Fittingly, the last good chance of the half fell to Lopez, and, in what had become a theme of the first half, he once again failed to put his shot on goal from the left side of the penalty area (41’).
After Sweden had failed to go close in the entire first half, they missed by just inches shortly after the interval when Anders Svensson’s free kick from 35 metres went just wide of the left post (56’). And on their next free kick, they got their goal, with Svensson’s bending strike from 25 metres finding the upper-left corner (1:0, 59’).
Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa, who had substituted Hernan Crespo for Batistuta just before the goal, wasted no time bringing in new attacking options, inserting Juan Veron and Kily Gonzalez in place of Matias Almeyda and Juan Sorin (63’).
With Argentina pushing men forward, Sweden almost had their second goal when Andreas Andersson’s cross into the goal area deflected off a defender, forcing goalkeeper Pablo Cavallero to make a good reflex save (75’).
Argentina were desperate, sending every man forward. They nearly had a goal from Aimar, but a defender cleared the shot from eight metres, and then Zanetti fired a shot from 15 metres that Hedman did well to save (83’).
Sweden nearly put the issue to rest when Andersson hit the stanchion (85’), but Argentina would increase the drama when Ortega earned a penalty. Though Hedman saved the River Plate man’s spot-kick, Crespo pounced on the rebound to level the score (1:1, 88’).
But it would be too little too late for the Argentines, who could do nothing but follow France on a flight out of East Asia.
FIFAworldcup.com
Argentina - Hernan Crespo 88'