Sweden has fit the bill for the last 16 of the World Cup in the wake of crushing Mexico 3-0 in Ekaterinburg to complete best in Group F. Mexico have additionally qualified after South Korea shockingly beat Germany.
A goal right off the bat in the second half from Ludwig Augustinsson and a second from the penalty spot from the captain Andreas Granqvist place Sweden in control, and an own goal from Edson Álvarez guaranteed Sweden compensated for their last-heave thrashing to Germany.
Mexico needed to sit tight for the score from the other group amongst Germany and South Korea in Kazan, before taking in the Koreans had won. Sweden and Mexico will learn on Wednesday evening which of Brazil, Serbia or Switzerland they will look from Group E in the last 16.
There had been more VAR discussion in the leading half when Javier Hernández seemed to control the ball with his arm in his particular penalty zone. The Argentinian official, Néstor Pitana, chose it was not deserving of a penalty after viewing on the pitchside screen, to the wrath of the Swedish players and particularly their manager, Janne Andersson.
Sweden had the better of the goalless first half and led the pack five minutes into the second half. Viktor Claesson's cross from the correct discovered its approach to Augustinsson, and Guillermo Ochoa got a hand to his savvy half-volley, however, couldn't stop it finding the net.
The Swedes multiplied their lead when Marcus Berg was fouled in the penalty zone by Héctor Moreno and Granqvist serenely opened in his second penalty of the competition.
Furthermore, with 15 minutes staying Swedish nerves were quieted when Álvarez, under strain from Ola Toivonen, unfortunately, redirected the ball past Ochoa for a third.
Sweden's Sebastian Larsson was reserved in the primary half for a high test on Hirving Lozano and will miss their last-16 coordinate through suspension, as will Mexico's Moreno