Germany has claimed a last gasp 2-1 win over Sweden at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Russia to keep their World Cup destiny in their own hands.
Six days after suffering a shock defeat to Mexico, the defending champions found themselves a goal down to Sweden and in need of a big turnaround.
Turn the game around they did, though, levelling up through Marcos Reus and then winning the match in the fifth minute of added time, despite being reduced to 10 men following Jerome Boateng’s red card.
Just a second win in eight matches since October places Germany, who take on South Korea in their next outing, level on points with Sweden in second.
Knowing that even a point will leave their hopes of progression hanging in the balance, Germany started the match in a dominant fashion.
Sweden’s big chance to open the scoring looked to have past them by when Manuel Neuer raced out to deny Marcus Berg from a one-on-one position.
Berg and his teammates were furious with the Polish officials, though, as they felt that Jerome Boateng shoved the striker as he was about to make contact, yet VAR was not even consulted.
The Blue-Yellow knew that they would get further chances on the counter, though, and so it proved a little over a third of the way through as Viktor Claesson sent the ball over the top for Ola Toivonen, who controlled it with his chest then lofted it over the onrushing Neuer.
Sweden were left wondering how they went into the break with just a goal to their name, however, as Claesson failed to make the most of a glorious chance inside the box following another swift move, and Berg was somehow denied by a fine Neuer save from the final act of a gripping opening 45 minutes.
After making a second change at the break, bringing on Mario Gomez for Draxler, Die Mannschaft needed less than three minutes of the second half to level up – Reus diverting Timo Werner’s cutback past Olsen with his knee.
For the first time in 548 minutes Sweden had to pick the ball out of the back of their net, and it was then a case of holding on as Muller sent a header wide and Jonas Hector got in a low shot on target.
The German attacking was relentless and, unlike in the first half, the Scandinavians did not appear to have an out-ball and were dropping deeper and deeper.
Sweden had a brief moment of respite when winning a corner, from which Emil Forsberg volleyed the ball at Neuer, but the momentum was with Germany and Werner really should have converted his big chance from eight yards.
Just when the pressure looked as though it would tell, referee Szymon Marciniak reached into his pocked to show Boateng a second yellow card for his challenge on Berg.
Trending
- Tinubu approves take-off of Consumer Credit Scheme
- Over N650m debt profile: Oyo clamps down on advertising practitioners, third-party agents
- NAF airstrikes kill terrorists, destroy hideouts in Borno
- Man docked for allegedly obstructing arrest of notorious criminal
- Sanwo-Olu launches Eko Cares initiative for 500,000 household
- Illegal importation of firearms: Court sentences defendants to two years imprisonment
- Troops subdue 3 Boko Haram terrorists in gunfights
- CSR: Natures Gentle Touch cleans up Lagos road