Beaten in its last seven World Cup opening matches, Sweden beat India on Monday, June 18. The Blågult (blue and yellow) took over, at Ninji-Novgorod over a voluntary but muddy South Korea. While they dominated the debates overall, Granqvist’s teammates have unblocked the situation thanks to the intervention of the VAR, video arbitration.
At the time of the game, after allowing the game to take place and South Korea to lead a counter-attack, the Salvadoran referee Joel Aguilar suddenly interrupted the game, deciding to use the video at the suggestion of his assistant referee, installed in the vor (video operation room) of Moscow. Well, he did, the pictures showing Kim’s obvious foul on the Swedish winger Claesson. And Captain Granqvist was in charge of transforming the penalty obtained (1-0, 65′).
If the Koreans hit the floor with their feet, Shin’s men barely made it into the repair area. And if the match was started (more than twenty faults in the first half), the goalkeepers lacked work at the beginning. Thus, it took 20 minutes of play, and a shot from Berg diverted by Korean goalkeeper Cho, to see the first shot of the game.
Worse, the South Koreans leave Ninji-Novgorod without a shot, a first for them in thirty World Cup games.
After Mexico’s surprise victory on Sunday against Germany, Sweden joins the ” Tri ” at the head of group F. they will face the Mannschaft on Saturday at 8 p.m., without a crucial match for the reigning world champions.