Sweden 1-0 Switzerland: Forsberg fires Sweden into QFs for the first time since 1994

Forsberg scored second-half winner to fire Sweden into quarter-finals for the first time since 1994 as they beat Switzerland 1-0 at Krestovsky Stadium. 

Match Events

7' CHANCE! Berg's shot wide out

10' CHANCE! Ekdal's shot wide over the bar

28' WHAT A SAVE! Berg's shot saved by Sommer

Augustinsson puts a great ball into the area that is initially poked away by Rodriguez, but  Claesson comes steaming in to flick the ball into the path of Berg.

The striker then goes for goal, but it forces a superb fingertip save from Sommer who keeps the ball out.

33' CHANCE! Xhaka's shot wide out

38' WHAT A CHANCE! Dzemaili's shot over the bar

41' Ekdal's close range shot flies straight into the sky!

Lustig puts a great ball into the box and it lofts over a number of heads before Ekdal comes steaming in at the back post - unmarked - but he goes for power over precision and his effort fires across the face of goal and into row Z.

49' Toivonen's shot over the bar

66' GOAL! Sweden 1-0 Switzerland (Forsberg)

FINALLY! There's a breakthrough and hopefully it inspires a bit of quality in this now!

Toivonen slips the ball to Forsberg across the top of the area who takes a few strides before striking - but the ball takes a big deflection off the foot of Akanji on the way through and beats Sommer in the net.

A cruel blow for Switzerland but they have plenty of time to get back into this yet.

79' CLOSE! Embolo's header blocked

94' Red Card! Lang sent off

Olsson races through on goal, bursting down the field, but is pushed by Lang and the Switzerland man is given his marching orders.

Match reports

Sweden are through to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1994 after a deflected goal from Emil Forsberg clinched a 1-0 win over Switzerland.

The first meeting between the nations at a major tournament simmered for 65 minutes in St Petersburg until Forsberg's fortunate strike handed Sweden a crucial lead.

The RB Leipzig playmaker's tame effort was heading straight at Yann Sommer until Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji stuck out a foot, sending the ball looping beyond his wrong-footed goalkeeper.

Forsberg also produced a well-timed clearance in his own penalty area to preserve the advantage against a Switzerland side who finished with 10 men, defender Michael Lang seeing red after clipping the heels of Martin Olsson just outside the penalty area when the substitute was clean through on goal.

Referee Damir Skomina initially gave a penalty deep into stoppage time before VAR intervened, though the change of decision made no difference to the final outcome of the contest.

The only disappointment for Sweden was a first-half booking picked up by Mikael Lustig, ruling the defender out of a last-eight clash against either Colombia or England in Samara on Saturday.

Line-ups

Sweden XI: Andreas Granqvist, Gustav Svensson, Marcus Berg, Ola Toivonen, Albin Ekdal, Mikael Lustig, Emil Forsberg, Robin Olsen, Victor Lindelöf, Viktor Claesson, Ludwig Augustinsson

Subs: Martin Olsson, Jimmy Durmaz, Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Karl-Johan Johnsson, Pontus Jansson, John Guidetti, Oscar Hiljemark, Emil Krafth, Isaac Thelin, Filip Helander, Marcus Rohdén

Switzerland XI: Johan Djourou, Valon Behrami, Blerim Dzemaili, Yann Sommer, Michael Lang, Steven Zuber, Xherdan Shaqiri, Ricardo Rodríguez, Granit Xhaka, Josip Drmic, Manuel Akanji

Subs: Gelson Fernandes, Roman Bürki, Haris Seferovic, Mario Gavranovic, François Moubandje, Remo Freuler, Yvon Mvogo, Nico Elvedi, Breel Embolo, Denis Zakaria