Sweden vs. Canada results: Canadians eliminated as steadfast Swedes hold on for 1-0 victory

Rudi Schuller

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Sweden vs. Canada results: Canadians eliminated as steadfast Swedes hold on for 1-0 victory image

Canada's World Cup dream is over.

The Canadians fell 1-0 to Sweden in the Round of 16 of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup on Monday, after a hotly contested match that was decided by a single moment of indecisiveness from the otherwise defensively-sound Canada side. Sweden's Stina Blackstenius scored the second-half winner on a counterattack that proved fatal to the Canadians, even with a penalty kick opportunity that gave the North Americans the opportunity to equalize.

Canada enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the game, ending with a 59 percent advantage and registering nearly 150 more passes than the Swedes. However, a lack of ingenuity in the final third allowed Sweden to comfortably defend and counter, ultimately proving to be the successful strategy as Canada couldn't find a way past goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl.

MORE:  Canada looking to restore respectability to men's program as Gold Cup run continues

The result means Canada's time in France is over, while the Swedes advance to the quarterfinals to face Germany.

Sporting News tracked live updates of Monday's knockout round match. Here's how it all went down:

Sweden 1, Canada 0: Updates, highlights of 2019 Women's World Cup Round of 16 match

Pre-game

Here are how the teams will line up:

First half

0:00 - The countdown is over, and the game is on!

2:01 - It's currently 28 C (feels like 30 C) in Paris, even though it's 9 p.m. there. So the heat may play a factor.

5:41 - Canada with some good pressure over the past few moments. All play near Sweden's penalty area.

6:21 - The Canadians get two corners in a row. Janine Beckie's first effort zips dangerous across goal. The second one finds Sophie Schmidt, but it bounces out for a goal kick.

10:24 - Sweden makes its first dangerous foray into the Canadian end. Kadeisha Buchanan does well to dispossess Stina Blackstenius just inside the 18-yard box.

12:22 - A fantastic through ball by Christine Sinclair sends Beckie down the right, but Sweden defends impressively before the Canadian could send in a cross to the awaiting Nichelle Prince.

17:43 - Sofia Jakobsson strides past Desiree Scott in the midfield and unleashes an ambitious long-range effort, but her shot is well wide.

21:34 - Canada struggling to put the finishing touches on some good attacking moves. The Canadians have had 59 percent of the possession thus far.

25:15 - The Canadians consistently attacking down the flanks, but running out of space. Sweden shepherding the Canadians quite effectively.

30:44 - Canada living in Sweden's half so far, but with nothing to show for it. The Canadians sem to have few ideas in the middle of the park, but are moving play left and right pretty well.

32:17 - Allysha Chapman gives up the ball to Jakobsson inside the Sweden half. The Canadian full back then makes a 70-yard sprint to stop the cross from being delivered.

36:40 - The Swedes have had more of the play over the past five minutes or so. Does that mean the game will open up?

42:02 - Play now limited to the middle third. Not a whole lot happening offensively for either side.

44:30 - Yellow card to Fridolina Rolfö for stepping on Desiree Scott's ankle. That's going to leave a mark.

45:00 - We're into one minute of stoppage as Beckie goes down hard at the endline.

45:00 + 1 - The opening half has ended.

Second half

45:00 - The final 45 minutes of regulation has begun. Will we see a goal?

49:17 - Sweden overpowering Canada on the flanks, turning the tables a bit.

51:53 - Sinclair and Beckie combine at the top of the Sweden box. Beckie's longe-range effort goes wide, but she's fouled and a free kick is called.

52:51 - Sinclair's free kick curled around the wall, buit well wide.

54:30 - ⚽️ GOAL ⚽️ Sweden breaks the deadlock after Scott overcommits to a challenge at midfield which sends Kosovare Asllani free. She crosses to Blackstenius, who gets to the ball before Zadorsky or Stephanie Labbé. Sweden 1, Canada 0.

58:23 - Beckie and Sinclair work a training-ground corner kick play and nearly catch the Swedes offguard. It was offside, but a nice piece of trickery.

62:28 - Scott and Asllani get tangled up, with the Canadian midfielder taking exception . Things are heating up.

63:45 - Canada makes an attacking change, with Adriana Leon replacing Nichelle Prince.

65:16 - Close! Schmidt gets a header that sails wide on the second phase of corner kick...

65:49 - ... but the referee is going to video review after a Sweden handball in the area! High drama here.

68:30 - SAVED! Beckie steps up to take the PK, but her hard shot is amazingly saved. That was one heck of a stop by Hedvig Lindahl, who got down to her right very fast.

73:50 - Canada frantically looking for an equalizer. Unsurprisingly, the Swedes have dropped into a defensive block and don't seem interesting in taking chances.

77:02 - The Canadians have resorted to Route 1 soccer, which isn't effective against this physically dominant Swedish side. Time running out.

79:45 - Big save! Labbé puts a strong hand on the ball to keep Sweden from doubling the lead. It was a point-blank header off a set piece.

81:30 - VAR review of a tackle inside the area by Ashley Lawrence, which looked to be penalty-worthy. However, the replay shows Sweden slightly offside, and Canada's gets off lucky there.

83:30 - Jayde Riviere and Rebecca Quinn have entered the match now. Beckie and Chapman out as Canada throws caution to the wind.

84:46 - Yellow card for Buchnanan, who misses Canada's next game if they can somehow pull off a miracle.

86:51 - Riviere runs down the ball at the endline and gets it to Leon, whose effort is not a great one to say the least.

90:00 - We're into SEVEN minutes of stoppage time, and Canada's buzzing around the Swedish goal.

90:00 + 1 - Sinclair squares the ball to Schmidt at the top of the box, but the midfielder leans back a bit too much and the shot floats high.

90:00 + 3 - What a tackle! Schmidt makes a superb last-ditch effort to take the ball off the foot of a Swedish player about 10 yards from goal on a counterattack.

90:00 + 5 - Canada has thrown everyone but Labbé forward. The goalie is almost playing as a quarterback now, gathering every long clearance and bombing the ball back upfield.

90:00 + 7 - Canada with a free kick pretty much on the Swedish endline after Lawrence is drilled trying to head the ball into play.

90:00 + 8 - The free kick is cleared for a corner. Even Labbé is up for the set piece now.

90:00 + 9 - The whistle blows as Canada was blasting the ball into the immovable Swedish defence inside the box. Swden moves on and Canada goes out.

Rudi Schuller