Right, thanks for your company. Bye!
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Full-time result: Sweden 1-0 Italy
Sweden are halfway to Russia. The goal – via a wicked deflection – was fortunate but they were resolute and deserved the victory tonight. Italy badly lacked invention.
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90+4 min: Big half-chance for Insigne. But he drags his effort wide and surely that’s it in Stockholm. Olsen thumps the ball back downfield.
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90+4 min: Sweden whack it out of play and they’re counting down the clock.
90+3 min: A couple of beautiful, bruising challenges from the Sweden back line to usher Italy away from goal. Can they hold on?
90+2 min: Immobile shoots from distance. It’s forgettable.
90+1 min: Janne Andersson is gesticulating to the fourth official, asking quite how they came up with five minutes. It doesn’t seem a little generous. Still, only four to play ...
90 min: Italy are having lots of the ball but are struggling to do anything meaningful with it. There will be five (FIVE!) added minutes.
88 min: The atmosphere is really ramping up inside the Friends Arena. Sweden, collectively, is bouncing. The Swedes have been stubborn defensively, and they seem happy to defend in numbers as they look to see this one out.
87 min: Italy look devoid of ideas but continue to push forward ...
85 min: Seb Larsson takes an age over the throw-in. Sweden can smell victory.
84 min: Forsberg appears to be limping a little out there. That’s not good news for Sweden.
83 min: Insigne was brought on to provide craft. He’s just shafted the ball straight out of play. Gian Piero Venture shakes his head in disgust.
82 min: Everyone’s behind the ball for Sweden. Insigne seeks out Immobile, who lunges in an attempt to connect with his cross but he can’t reach it. And Krafth, who was down a moment ago, is withdrawn. Gustav Svensson, of the Seattle Sounders, is on.
79 min: De Rossi’s pass is undercooked and that sums it up for Italy, really. Krafth is suffering with cramp and a flurry of Italy players rush over to help him up. Meanwhile, a replay of the goal shows Buffon totally wrong-footed as Johansson’s strike takes a rather wicked deflection off Parolo.
78 min: Italy look a little bereft of ideas. Sweden are retreating deeper and deeper. And the camera pans to José Mourinho, whose in attendance this evening.
77 min: Italy catch Sweden out with a short corner. The hosts are, for the first time tonight, half asleep but Italy cannot force it goalwards. Eventually a shot flies overhead and Sweden rebuild.
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76 min: Lorenzo Insigne is on for Italy, in place of Verratti. And Italy win a corner.
75 min: Thelin makes a useful block on the edge of the box within seconds of running on to the field. It’s become pretty attritional out there in the last couple of minutes. Needs must and all that.
74 min: Candreva strikes at goal but it’s deflected wide for a corner. Meanwhile, the busy (and booked) Berg has been withdrawn. On comes Isaac Kiese Thelin in his place.
72 min: Italy play it around the back but Chiellini almost gets caught out. Something needs to change for the visitors, who have Jorginho and Manolo Gabbiadini, among others, sat on the bench.
70 min: It’s fired in but Toivonen heads clear. Candreva reloads and in comes another corner ... which Olsen punches away. But wait, just wait. The ball drops to Darmian on the edge of the box and he instantly fires a rasping strike goalwards. It smacks the post and cannons back out. Olsen is motionless. He was beaten all ends up and Darmian, the Manchester United defender very nearly levelled for Italy there.
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69 min: Darmian carves out a corner for Italy. He’s had a decent game at left-wing back.
68 min: Italy are patiently prying for an opening. Can they find an equaliser?
65 min: Jakob Johansson is everywhere at the moment. The goalscorer intercepts Candreva’s run down the right before kick-starting another move. Fun fact: Johansson made his international debut against North Korea in 2013, it says here anyway.
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63 min: Gian Piero Ventura, the Italy manager, is pacing the touchline, doubtless reliving that goal. It was the long throw, kept alive by Toivonen which found its way to Johansson, who blasted at goal. His effort was probably always on target but it took a nick off an Italy body and that was enough to bamboozle Buffon. Advantage Sweden.
62 min: Olsen is urged to calm things down as Sweden, and Johansson in particular, just pinches himself. Sweden lead and Italy have it all to do, albeit with plenty of football still to play.
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GOAL! Sweden 1-0 Italy (Johansson, 61)
A long throw pays dividends. The substitute’s shot deflects home and it’s advantage Sweden.
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59 min: Now Berg and De Rossi clash. It’s a coming together, and the Italy midfielder is on the receiving end of the striker’s arm but that’s about it. After some brief handbags, we’re back to the football. Berg could do with staying out of things for a couple of minutes, though.
58 min: Berg (stupidly) barges Chiellini into Buffon, forcing a clash between the two Italy team-mates. Italy get wind that the Sweden striker has already been booked and surround the referee, who has Daniele De Rossi for company. Cuneyt Cakir’s having none of it though and he tells them to get on with. And hang on a minute ...
57 min: And Ekdal, the Hamburg midfielder, is replaced by Jakob Johansson.
56 min: Albin Ekdal goes to ground, and Sweden boot the ball out of play. The midfielder looks to be struggling ...
55 min: Now it’s Immobile’s turn to have a moan at the referee, this time for a low-key coming together with Lindelof.
53 min: Italy are just beginning to sense a few Swedish nerves. Parolo, for a minute, is through on goal but an Olsen-Larsson combination shepherds him away from the danger, and the ball into the Sweden goalkeeper’s gloves.
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51 min: It’s played short to Verratti but the move is soon over.
50 min: Italy are fuming at Ola Toivonen. Bonucci is down (again) but it looks pretty innocuous. There’s a little barge in the back but that’s about it. It’s not sinister. Italy’s reaction was not exactly warranted, it would seem. Up the other end, Candreva’s cross is blocked and the visitors win a third second-half corner.
48 min: Jesper Haglund gets in touch on Twitter. “Swedish commentator just now: “Oh Lordy.” Indeed. Italy have made a promising start to this second period.
47 min: From the right, Candreva floats in a ball to the back post. Immobile loses his footing but Darmian keeps it alive. It comes back out to Candreva, whose devilish cross causes a communication mix-up between Olsen and his defenders. The ball whizzes across the box and, fortunately for the hosts, no Italy player is there to poke home.
46 min: Belotti gets us back under way.
Half-time score: Sweden 0-0 Italy
And the teams head down the tunnel.
45 min: Larsson delivers but it’s overcooked. Just the one minute of added time to play.
44 min: Barzagli sends Toivonen to ground and Sweden earn a free-kick 25 yards from goal. The Italy defender insists he’s not barged the forward to the floor, but the referee’s given it. Larsson will swing it in from the left ...
43 min: Verratti is perhaps a little unfortunate not to win a foul off Seb Larsson on the byline. At the same time, the Italy midfielder is most certainly looking for it.
41 min: A few jeers as Bonucci, who continues to be heavily booed for that early clash with Berg, boots the ball straight out. Now Parolo gives away a foul, with a bruising challenge on Ekdal. Sweden send the ball in from the left, through Augustinsson. Sweden are rousing just before half-time.
40 min: Candreva’s whipped ball from the right is claimed by Olsen. No problem.
38 min: Sweden win a free-kick in a promising area on the edge of the box but Lindelof’s effort flies into the Italy wall. And that’s that.
37 min: Sweden have a couple of penalty appeals waved away! It’s Chiellini’s mistake which slips in Berg but Buffon intercepts. The ball becomes free, with Ola Toivonen ready to seize on the ball but the Italy goalkeeper gets his giant right hand at it to, cleanly, clear the ball away. The referee was well positioned, and seemingly made the right call there.
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35 min: Robin Olsen, the Sweden goalkeeper comes to collect, just as Immobile is ready to pounce. The hosts pump the ball forward but Forsberg’s not ready for it. Italy get back hold of it and, suddenly, things have calmed down a little.
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33 min: A few Sweden supporters are bobbing up and down in the stands. They’re enjoying the spectacle. Now their team win a free-kick, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic looking down upon them. A big cheer as his face appears on the big screen at the Friends Arena, which is just out of town in Solna.
31 min: The move breaks down, but it’s another Sweden shot (albeit off target) at Gianluigi Buffon’s goal. De Rossi seizes possession and Italy look to have a go themselves ...
30 min: Lindelof makes a rampaging run forward, galloping past a sea of Italy players but the cross from Krafth is not good enough. Sweden will have to settle for another long throw ...
29 min: De Rossi gets a grip on the ball in midfield, before spraying it out to Barzagli. Some neat possession ends with Darmian fizzing in a cross for Belotti but it evades everyone.
27 min: Italy attempt to calm things down. Verratti puts a foot on it, before looking over the top for Ciro Immobile. The Italy striker wriggles away from Victor Lindelof to find a yard of space but he can’t get the ball under control with his first touch. And the chance has gone. Then comes a booking for Verratti, who will miss the return leg, for a silly lunge on Berg.
25 min: Forsberg earns a few wolf-whistles from the home crowd with a little showboating on the halfway. He is some player, isn’t he?
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24 min: The corner’s far too deep for everyone and Sweden are forced to start from scratch again. Krafth sweeps in a lovely ball, chested down brilliantly by Claesson. Forsberg then takes hold of the ball, wrapping his right boot around it but he fails to trouble Buffon.
22 min: Sweden win a corner, after an encouraging spell of pressure. Forsberg is really growing into this one, and he’s taken centre stage in the last few minutes. He, Toivonen and Berg are Sweden’s go-to men here. In comes the corner, Sweden’s first of the night ...
21 min: Half-hearted penalty appeals are waved away by the referee after a clash between Berg and De Rossi. Not even the Sweden players are asking for that one.
20 min: Forsberg does brilliantly, carrying the ball upfield before picking out Toivonen, who then slides it back into the Leipzig winger inside the box. He’s suddenly in on goal but then comes the referee’s whistle. Forsberg’s offside.
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19 min: Italy break for a moment but Parolo’s ball is snuffed out. Sweden get back on the front foot with Krafth down the right flank.
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18 min: Berg is down, holding what looks like his neck. A replay shows Daniele De Rossi gave him a little slap around the Adam’s apple. They have a few words with each other, but it’s all smiles really.
17 min: Verratti again floats in a deep cross, but Italy can’t force it goalwards.
16 min: Parolo and Darmian link up well before the Manchester United defender’s attempted cross is blocked. He’s made an impressive start.
14 min: Verratti plays an inviting cross-field ball, with Candreva lurking at the back post. It was all a little too late from the Internazionale winger, though, and the ball runs out for a goal-kick without him meeting it. Augustinsson had no idea his man had ghosted in behind him there.
11 min: Bonucci’s getting an earful of boos from the 50,000-odd Sweden supporters in the house at the Friends Arena tonight. He’s not bothered though; he’s heard it all before. Sweden now earn a free-kick, just inside the Italy half, with Belotti penalised for a trip on Ekdal.
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10 min: Italy deal with it and try to get the ball back under control. Some simple possession football does the trick for visitors.
9 min: Italy are struggling to deal with Sweden’s runners. Darmian now tackles Krafth, who was bombing down the right-hand side. Here comes a long Sweden throw ...
8 min: Sweden go close! Forsberg dances around the box before picking out Ola Toivonen, who’s in space on the outside of the box. His low, first-time effort grazes the grass and almost the post as it arrows just wide.
7 min: Immobile, for a second, thinks he’s through on goal but is flagged offside. It’s the correct decision but that was a moment’s panic for Robin Olsen, the Sweden goalkeeper.
6 min: Just wide from Belotti! Darmian does well, racing down the left, beyond Seb Larsson before standing up a cross for the Torino striker. He gets up to head at goal, but his effort falls just wide of the post. A let-off for Sweden, after Italy’s first venture forward.
5 min: Italy play themselves into and then out of trouble at the back. Bonucci’s not had a brilliant start here.
4 min: Always rising. His right-footed effort sees the ball balloon over Gianluigi Buffon’s goal. Sweden look well up for this, though.
3 min: It has been a stop-start opening few minutes. Darmian now is the latest player to have a moan. Sweden’s direct approach is causing problems. The ball shoots up to Berg and Bonucci tugs at his shirt on the edge of the box, earning the hosts a free-kick in a pretty position, 20-odd yards from goal. Emil Forsberg’s stood over it ...
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1 min: Italy win an early free-kick, with Bonucci grounded after a meaty challenge with Marcus Berg. The Sweden striker has been booked. Already! Buffon pump the ball downfield ...
Peeeeeeeeeeeep!
And, just like that, we’re under way in Sweden.
Here come the national anthems. The Italian one is a real belter, isn’t it?
The teams are in the tunnel at the Friends Arena in Stockholm. Even some of the home supporters appear to be imagining a World Cup without Italy. The atmosphere looks brilliant out there.
Who’s the ref? Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir will officiate this one. The 40-year-old took charge of the 2015 Champions League final between Juventus and Barcelona, and has never refereed an Italy defeat. Other team news: one-time West Ham loanee Simone Zaza is missing for Gian Piero Ventura’s side with a knee injury. The good news? Ciro Immobile is fit enough to start, though.
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It is fair to say the Italy back line has bags of experience. The average age of their back four, including the goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, is 34.5yrs. Some would say they’re over the hill, but they’re bound to be streetwise out there in Stockholm tonight.
“Only one player involved in this year’s European World Cup play-offs also appeared in the original play-offs back in 1997,” says Richard Foster on Twitter. “Step forward Gianluigi Buffon ... ” What a legend:
Sweden’s team is as expected, with Marcus Berg and Ola Toivonen up front. For Italy, there is no room for the Napoli pair, Jorginho nor Lorenzo Insigne in the starting lineup.
Team news!
Sweden (4-4-2): Olsen; Krafth, Granqvist, Lindelof, Augustinsson; Claesson, Ekdal, Larsson, Forsberg; Berg, Toivonen
Subs: Johnsson, Nodfeldt, Larsson, Olsson, Guidetti, Johansson, Helander, Svensson, Jansson, Rohden, Thelin, Sea
Italy (3-5-2): Buffon; Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli; Darmian, Verratti, De Rossi, Parolo, Candreva; Immobile, Belotti
Subs: Donnarumma, Perin, Rugani, Gagliardini, Florenzi, Insigne, Astori, Jorginho, Eder, Bernardeschi, Zappacosta, Gabbiadini
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Preamble
It is crunch time. Italy are 180-odd minutes away from missing out on a World Cup for the first time since 1958. To avoid that happening, they’re in Stockholm tonight for the first leg and, in an ideal world, they will take something from this match ahead of the return leg at the San Siro on Monday.
Both teams failed to secure an automatic spot in Russia next year, after finishing second in their respective groups. Sweden were runners-up to France in Group A, while Italy were runners-up to Spain in Group. Gaining any kind of advantage from tonight’s match is big business. Just ask Daniele De Rossi. “We are expecting two games in which we cannot afford to make mistakes,” the Italy midfielder said. “The stakes are so high that the idea of shedding blood and sweat is appropriate. We must give everything right to the finish.” And that tees this one up quite nicely.
Team news will be upon us shortly.
Kick-off: 7.45pm GMT
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