Swedes advance as Argentina crash in Group of Death

June 12, 2002

MIYAGI, Japan, June 12 (AFP) -- Sweden ousted pre-tournament favourites Argentina from the World Cup's Group of Death here Wednesday after the pair drew 1-1 in a dramatic encounter.

Argentina dominated the opening half and missed a stack of chances but looked headed for defeat after a brilliant Anders Svensson free-kick 14 minutes after the restart put the Swedes in front.

Hernan Crespo bagged a late equaliser on the rebound after Ariel Ortega saw Swedish keeper Magnus Hedman push out his 87th-minute penalty. But the draw was not good enough for the Argentines, who needed to win to avoid crashing in the first round for the first time since 1962 and whose earlier loss to England eventually proved fatal. Swedish coach Lars Lagerback said his team had ridden their luck as the Argentines threw everything into attack.

"We were a little lucky today, but that is football," said Lagerback, one half of a duo with Tommy Soderberg.

"I knew that we would have to defend very well.

"We have to thank the players today for working so hard."

Argentina's talismanic striker Gabriel Batistuta drew a blank and suffered the humiliation of seeing his World Cup career end with a second-half substitution. And in a further setback, the Argentines were stunned after veteran striker Claudio Caniggia was dismissed from the substitutes bench seconds before half-time after apparently insulting referee Ali Bujsaim.. Coach Marcelo Bielsa had persisted with Batistuta as his sole out and out striker - but his patience snapped after 57 minutes as he hauled off the 33-year-old and sent on Crespo.

Sure enough, a goal duly arrived - but for Sweden. And it was Svensson who got it in style, curling a wicked freekick right-footed just inside Pablo Cavallero's near post. Andreas Andersson nearly made it 2-0 with seven minutes left - but his shot hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced out. Javier Zanetti drove a furious low drive goalwards but Hedman saved brilliantly as Argentina grew increasingly desperate in the closing stages. The Argentines were getting little change whatsoever out of a Swedish defence well-marshalled by Olaf Mellberg and Johan Myallby. But they gained a lifeline after Mattias Jonson brought down Ortega and the referee pointed to the spot, leading to the equaliser.

The South Americans, as widely expected, dropped Juan Sebastian Veron for Pablo Aimar for the crucial encounter and handed the captain's armband to 56-goal star Batistuta. Veron came on in the second half but was unable to rescue a win. Argentina also left out Diego Simeone, who was ineffective in the 1-0 defeat to England which left Argentine morale sagging.