REUTERS/Damir Sagolj
As a game that wasn’t expected to deliver huge helpings of quality, this match didn’t disappoint. There was no shortage of effort from either side, but finesse was in short supply. Amongst the 30 shots produced in St Petersburg, only seven were accurate yet none of them truly tested either 'keeper.
The winning goal came as a cruel blow rather than a moment of genius. The history books will record the name of Emil Forsberg as the scorer, however, Manuel Akanji’s right boot made a telling deflection that directed the timid shot beyond Yann Sommer and into the top corner of the net.
It was enough to see Sweden into the quarter-finals where they will face England and it was enough to shed more light on the lower half of the World Cup’s fixture tree.