The first of the two matches that are worth access to the final phase of the 2018 World Cup in Russia ends very badly. A modest Sweden beats Italy 1-0 in the first leg of the playoff that are worth participation in the next world championships. For the Azzurri it is now even more difficult and especially given Italy tonight, they will have to perform a feat in the return scheduled to Milan in three days to avoid being eliminated and going down in history as the worst national team ever.
Sweden is just a goal from Johansson, with De Rossi's decisive deflection at 62º to bring home the heaviest victory that will allow him to play between 72 hours in Milan with two results available to crown the dreamless dream of extorting from the world one by now former big football and qualify at his own expense.
It is a nervous Italy and devoid of ideas that succumb to the Friends Arena of Solna, in the face of Sweden, nothing but irresistible. Nervousness is particularly pronounced at the 29º of the first half when Verratti, distrusted, loses the ball and commits to an area of the field where he does not need it, a foul of his frustration that costs him yellow card and consequent disqualification in the fundamental return match. Yet the assumptions seemed to be good for Italy, despite the rocket launch of the home team, at the 6º minute goes close to the goal of the advantage with Belotti, splendidly served in the area from Darmian. Turin's header but the end of the goalkeeper's side. Then Sweden grows dangerous on a couple of occasions, first with Berg and then with Toivonen, but Buffon is careful and protects his door despite a severe lightness of Chiellini.
The script does not change during the shooting. Italy without ideas and sterile and predictable maneuver. Not that Sweden demonstrates to be superior, but the emblematic image of the evening we see it at 61º when on the development of a side foul the ball ends at Johansson that leaves a right of modest ambitions but finds the lucky deflection of De Rossi which blurs Buffon and fixes the result on the 1-0. Italy seems to react and 69º goes close to equalizing with Darmian from the distance leaving a boathouse on which the home goalkeeper does not even move but just watch. The ball hits the pole and ends the match of Italy despite the entrances in the field of an evanescent Eder and a loving Insigne but it fails to affect the match. Monday night serves the classic miracle, not so much for the result largely within the reach of the blue, as for the physical and mental condition shown in the forward match.
GB
Photo: tuttosport