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Women's World Cup: Sweden win bronze after early onslaught

Michael Da Silva
July 6, 2019

Sweden scored two goals inside the first 22 minutes to settle their bronze-medal match against England. It's the third time Sweden have ended a World Cup in third, ending a better-than-expected tournament for the Swedes.

https://p.dw.com/p/3LhGQ
FIFA Frauenfußball WM 2019 England - Schweden
Image: Reuters/E. Gaillard

England 1-2 Sweden
(Kirby 31' - Asllani 11', Jakobsson 22')

A few minutes midway through the first half, it seemed as though Sweden would run riot in this third-place playoff.

The Swedes, who had a day less to prepare fo this game than England after Wednesday's extra time semifinal defeat by the Netherlands, flew out of the blocks on the French Riviera.

Their first goal came after a poor clearance by England left back Alex Greenwood allowed forward Kosovare Asllani to pounce and send a drilled shot into the bottom corner.

Sweden doubled their lead in fine style through Sofia Jakobsson, whose delightful, bending shot from the left drifted inside the far post, leaving England reeling early.

With Sweden threatening to run away with it, England stepped things up. Their positive response to going two down was rewarded with an impressive goal of their own. Fran Kirby cut in from the right and found the far corner with a well-controlled shot.

England leveled through striker Ellen White, who thought she had gone one goal clear of American Alex Morgan in the race for the golden boot, but for the second successive game she saw her goal ruled out by VAR – this time for handball.

Sweden survived a late England rally to secure third place, adding to the bronze medals they collected in 1991 and 2011.