Fridolina Rolfo and Kosovare Asllani scored as Sweden defeated Australia 2-0 in the third-place play-off of the FIFA Women’s World Cup on Saturday.
Rolfo scored the opening goal from the penalty spot in the 30th minute after Clare Hunt was adjudged to have fouled Stina Blackstenius in the box. Asllani sealed the victory with a superb strike in the 62nd minute.
The win means Sweden has now won bronze at the Women’s World Cup four times, more than any other team except Germany. It also maintains the Scandinavians’ 100% record in third-place matches at the tournament.
Australia, which finished fourth in the 2019 World Cup, had hoped to improve on its best-ever performance at the tournament. However, the Matildas were unable to create many chances against a well-organized Swedish defense.
The victory was a fitting end to a successful tournament for Sweden, which reached the semifinals for the first time since 2003. The team will be hoping to build on this performance and challenge for the title in the next World Cup in 2023.
Here are some additional details from the match:
- Sweden had 60% of the possession and 15 shots on goal, compared to Australia’s 9 shots.
- Rolfo was named the player of the match.
- The attendance at the match was 23,139.
The victory was a major boost for Swedish women’s football. The team has been struggling in recent years, but this result will give them a much-needed boost. Sweden will be hoping to build on this performance and challenge for the title in the next World Cup in 2023.
