Sweden v Paraguay - Match Report

Swedes leave it late as Ljungberg sends Paraguayans home

Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg (2ndR) and teammates celebrate at the end of the World Cup 2006 group B football game Sweden vs. Paraguay 15 June 2006 at Berlin stadium. Sweden won 1-0. AFP PHOTO SVEN NACKSTRAND

Arsenal's Freddie Ljungberg fired Sweden to the brink of the second phase of the World Cup on Thursday, his late header sending Paraguay home in a 1-0 win. Sweden now face compatriot Sven-Goran Eriksson's England on Tuesday as they bid to win Group B with either hosts Germany or Ecuador waiting in the next round.

England are certain of their place while the Swedes can still mathematically be caught by Trinidad and Tobago.

Despite having the lion's share of the possession the Swedes were unable to force an early breakthrough despite the probings of Juventus playmaker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose failure to find his usual lustre saw him replaced at the break by Marcus Allback.

Paraguayan defender Denis Caniza (down) and Swedish forward Henrik Larsson jump to head off the ball during the World Cup 2006 group B football game Sweden vs. Paraguay 15 June 2006 at Berlin stadium. AFP PHOTO ODD ANDERSEN

Roberto Acuna welcomed the Copenhagen striker by felling him to pick up a booking as the Paraguayans offered a muscular approach.

But just when it looked as if a goalless draw that would have suited neither side was set to be the end product Ljungberg nodded home after Allback headed across goal to find the midfielder lurking on the edge of the six-yard box.

The goal sparked bedlam on the Swedish bench and among some 30,000 Swedish fans inside the Olympic Stadium.

With England having made it into the last 16 by virtue of a laboured 2-0 win against minnows Trinidad and Tobago, the Swedes, who could only draw against the Caribbean side in their opener, were seeking to move onto four points.

And they just made it.

Paraguayan goalkeeper Aldo Bobadilla (C) eyes the goal of Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg (not on picture) next to Paraguayan defender Carlos Gamarra (R) during the World Cup 2006 group B football game Sweden vs. Paraguay 15 June 2006 at Berlin stadium. AFP PHOTO OLIVER LANG

Sweden were hoping their forward line of Henrik Larsson, Ibrahimovic and Ljungberg would see them home and dry but they were foundering on a rocklike back four relentlessly held together by Paraguayan skipper Carlos Gamarra, whose own goal handed England their narrow win in Frankfurt.

On the hour mark Sweden came within centimetres of scoring when Allback tried to lob Bobadilla only for Caniza to get back and hack clear, the defender ending up in the back of the net.

Paraguay reacted as Dante Lopez came on for the ineffective Roque Santa Cruz.

Larsson went close with a header over as the Swedes enjoyed another purple patch and then the veteran did his best to gift Allback another chance but Bobadilla clutched the striker's acrobatic flick.

In the end, Ljungberg came to the rescue to set up an intriguing final day in Group B when Sven-Goran Eriksson will face his home country.