Sweden scorch Italy 5-0 to reach World Cup knockout stage

A three-goal blitz just before halftime helped Sweden to a dominant 5-0 win over Italy in Wellington on Saturday as they booked their spot in the Women’s World Cup knockout stage with a match to spare.

Amanda Ilestedt scored the first of her two goals in the 39th minute when she got up well to head home Jonna Andersson’s corner and further efforts from Fridolina Rolfo and Stina Blackstenius inside seven minutes ended the match as a contest.

Centre half Ilestedt found the net once again shortly after halftime –– her third of the tournament — and substitute Rebecka Blomqvist completed the rout in stoppage time.

“I’m impressed – it’s not the first time I’m impressed by these players by the way,” Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson told reporters. “It’s ingrained in their mentality somewhere to just keep going.”

Italy dominated possession early on but could not deal with the Swedish aerial threat at corners and the 2003 runners-up handed them their worst defeat in a World Cup match.

The Italians had all the early pressure and Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic was forced into action to save forward Sofia Cantore’s shot in the first minute and another from the Juventus forward in the 17th.

Sweden gradually worked their way into the game and Ilestedt’s first goal flung open the floodgates.

Rolfo got her second goal of the campaign five minutes later with a flick off her knee from close range as the Italian defence struggled to deal with another corner.

The third goal came from open play in first half stoppage time when Johanna Kaneryd broke down the right flank and crossed the ball to Blackstenius in the middle for the striker to finish.

Ilestedt’s second goal in the 50th minute was a carbon copy of the first, as the Arsenal defender headed another into the net off a corner from Andersson.

Cantore missed chances in the 60th and 65th minutes and Valentina Giacinti spurned a great opportunity to pull one back for Italy in the 87th as she sent a shot from the middle of the box soaring over the bar.

The last Sweden goal came at the end of the match when Blomqvist raced clear of the Italian defenders and buried the ball in the bottom left corner of the net.

“They have a lot of weapons, a lot of arrows in their quiver. The first half hour we actually gave them a hard time,” Italy coach Milena Bertolini told reporters.

“Then we spread out and when you’re not compact, when you’re playing a team like Sweden, then you’re faced with difficulties.”

Although a hammer blow to Italy’s confidence, they can still advance to the last 16 by avoiding defeat in their final Group G fixture against South Africa on Wednesday.