By the end, Italy knew what was coming. They just could not stop it. Sweden left-back Jonna Andersson‘s in-swinging corners from the right proved their undoing every time. Andersson’s deliveries were responsible for three of Sweden’s goals as they beat the Azurre 5-0 at Wellington Regional Stadium last week.
At the same venue, a few days earlier, another Andersson corner had led to a 90th minute winner against South Africa. Amanda Ilestedt, the 5-foot-10 centre-back, who has just swapped Paris Saint-Germain for Arsenal, had headed in three of the goals, emerging as a surprise contender for the Golden Boot in Australia and New Zealand.
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“I hope Amanda goes all the way and does win it,” the Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson, only half-joking, smirked after his side’s win over Italy.
In total, four of Sweden’s seven goals at the tournament have come from corners. Their success from dead-balls is part of a wider trend at the World Cup that will likely be increasingly important in the knockout rounds. Colombia‘s dramatic winner against Germany came from a corner, as did the United States‘ leveller against Netherlands….
