And that's that! Sweden, who came third the last time a World Cup
was held in Brazil, won't be there this time. And neither will their
outstanding star player Zlatan Ibrahimovic. A huge shame. But Portugal
deserved to get there. They were the better side over the two games,
responded in stunning fashion when Sweden finally got them rocking, and
in Cristiano Ronaldo boast a player of amazing ability and superhuman
big-game chops. He's off to Brazil, as are Portugal. And deservedly so.
Tell you what, a few matches like that next summer won't go amiss.
Updated
90 min +2: Ronaldo is human! A long ball down the
middle. Olsson should clear, but he allows Ronaldo to win an aerial
challenge, and suddenly the hat-trick hero is all alone on the edge of
the area. But he pokes his shot inches wide right of the goal. No fourth
goal for you! A fine display of chutzpah follows, as his face contorts
in frustration and pain, as though that miss really mattered. It
probably did to Ronaldo, who is operating on a different plane.
90 min: Gerndt comes on for Larsson. There will be five added minutes. Sweden only need to score in three of them.
89 min: Sweden are stroking it around at the back, an exercise in futility.
88 min: Elmander hoicks a shot straight down Rui Patricio's throat from the right of the D.
87 min: Ronaldo exchanges passes with Nani on the
halfway line and races off down the right with a goal in mind. He eats
up the turf, before belting a shot just wide right from a prohibitive
angle and distance.
86 min: Durmaz goes on a busy ramble down the left,
but can't get a cross into the danger area. It's so very quiet in the
Friends Arena now.
84 min: Antonsson is booked for a lazy clip on the ankles of Nani.
83 min: Elmander attempts to whip a shot into the
top left on the spin, 12 yards out, but can't get his effort on target.
Everyone knows this is over. How brilliant Sweden have been in this
half, but they've just met a force of nature.
82 min: A couple of changes. Ricardo Costa comes on for Almeida, while Durmaz replaces Kacaniklic.
81 min: Ronaldo has won this for Portugal, but he's
not letting up. He picks up a cutback down the right from Joao Pereira,
and whistles a low shot across Isaksson and an inch or so wide of the
left-hand post. What a performance this has been. He was rolling around
injured just before he battered in his second goal, by the way. Imagine
if he had two working legs!
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