Claude Paris
Sweden players celebrate with their bronze medals after the Women's World Cup third place playoff with England in Nice.
Kosovare Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson scored as Sweden beat England 2-1 Saturday night to take third place in the Women's World Cup in Nice.
Asllani, who was taken off the field in a stretcher during Sweden's semifinal loss to the Netherlands, started Saturday and gave the Swedes the lead in the 11th minute as they took advantage of early struggles by England on Saturday (Sunday NZ time).
Alex Greenwood had plenty of time to clear Fridolina Rolfo's cross but sent it straight into the path of Asllani, who drilled it into the bottom right corner. England goalkeeper Carly Telford got a hand to it but couldn't keep it out of the net.
Sweden almost doubled its lead five minutes later but Jakobsson's effort came off the right post and went out off of Telford's knee.
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Jakobsson did score shortly after as she cut inside the left side before curling into the opposite side of the net.
Alex Grimm
Fifa president Gianni Infantino presents Caroline Seger of Sweden with her third place medal.
England cut Sweden's lead to 2-1 in the 31st when Fran Kirby cut in from the right, beat her defender and fired one inside the left post.
Ellen White thought she had tied the score two minutes later but her goal was ruled out after the video review determined there had been a handball. The forward had also had what would have been an equalising goal ruled out in the semifinal loss to the United States.
Lucy Bronze almost levelled in the final minute but her effort was headed off the line by Nilla Fischer.
Alex Grimm
England manager Phil Neville and his players look dejected after losing to Sweden.
England manager Phil Neville admitted it was "probably our worst 20 minutes and our best 70 minutes of a tournament in one but this playoff's a nonsense game.
"We feel disappointed, frustrated because we've not achieved our goals. I'm not disrespecting the playoff but we came here to win the tournament. We wanted gold not bronze," Neville said.
"There's a million things I could have done better but I can't ask anything more of my players."
AP
