Soccer

Rampant Sweden pummel Thailand to book last 16 spot

Sweden impress with an excellent display of attacking football

Sweden’s Lina Hurtig celebrates scoring their fourth goal in the Women’s Word Cup game against Thailand at Stade de Nice. Photograph: Eric Gaillard/Reuters

Sun Jun 16 2019 - 16:36

Sweden 5 Thailand 1

Sweden produced a breathtaking display of attacking football to thrash Thailand 5-1 in Nice on Sunday and book their place in the last 16 of the women’s World Cup.

Thailand, coming off a record 13-0 loss to defending champions United States in their Group F opener, conceded twice in the opening 20 minutes as they struggled to win aerial battles against a much taller Swedish team.

Centre back Linda Sembrant broke the deadlock for Sweden with a thumping header off an Elin Rubensson free kick, before midfielder Kosovare Asllani pounced on a rebound to double their lead.

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Fridolina Rolfo hammered in a third from outside the box as Sweden finished with three goals in the first half of a World Cup match for the first time since a third-place playoff win over Germany in 1991.

Forward Lina Hurtig and Rubensson scored in the second half to add gloss to the scoreline, while forward Kanjana Sung-ngoen pulled one back for Thailand in the closing stages.

It was a much improved display from Sweden, who peppered the Thailand goal with 34 attempts, after they laboured to a 2-0 victory over Chile in their opening match.

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