SWEDEN opened their Women’s World Cup campaign with a 1-0 win over Colombia in a Group C clash in Leverkusen.
Sweden eventually overcame a spirited Colombian side who fought gallantly against much more experienced opposition throughout but Europeans took the three points.
Jessica Landstrom tapped home from a Lotta Schelin cross after missing numerous chances early in the game and her strike proved the difference.
Sweden looked like they were going to completely overpower the Colombians after ten minutes as they had all the possession and early chances. Twice Schelin was played in and twice her efforts were half-saved by Sandra Sepulveda and then cleared off the line by captain Natalia Gaitan.
The chance of the first half fell to Landstrom as excellent link up between Schelin and Sara Thunebro on the left saw the former get to the by-line and pick out Landstrom who side-footed shockingly over the bar from just five yards.
Colombia got more and more of a foothold as the half petered out, but they were on the backfoot again at the start of the second when Caroline Seger played Landstrom in on goal and again her finish was horribly wayward and flew harmlessly over Sepulveda’s crossbar.
There was no way that the Swedish number nine could miss her third chance of the match though as Schelin popped up on the right this time to pick up a pass from Annica Svensson, she flashed the ball across the six-yard-box and from two yards and with an open net there was no chance Landstrom could miss and she duly made it one-nil.
Colombia managed to gain a lot of possession for the remainder of the game but never really threatened to score and in fact it was Sweden who looked more likely, substitute Sofia Jakobsson and Therese Sjogran missing decent chances before the referee eventually ended Colombia’s chances with the final whistle. (Eurosport)