Margins have been fine in the lion's share of games so far this tournament, and the opening stages of this match showcased all the signs that it was going to follow suit, with a hopeful Refiloe Jane effort from 40 yards which dropped onto the roof of the net about as close as either side came to an opener inside the first half-hour.
Sweden will undoubtedly have felt a little aggrieved they weren’t given the opportunity to go into the break in front though, as South Africa survived a VAR check after Hildah Magaia seemingly handled in the area.
For the complete lack of attacking quality on offer in the first half, the second got off to a much better start as South Africa took a surprise lead inside three minutes of the restart.
Thembi Kgatlana did the heavy lifting in the build-up, but as her initial effort was too hot to handle for Zecira Musovic, Magaia was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.
With so much time left on the clock, it always felt a gargantuan task for South Africa to hold on, but they proved to be the architects of their own downfall in conceding the equaliser. Lebohang Ramalepe made a hash of her clearance and a combination of her miscue and Fridolina Rolfo’s endeavour saw the ball squirm into the bottom corner.
Perhaps accepting their fate after conceding, South Africa’s defence receded even further, setting up a nervy final 20 minutes for Banyana Banyana.
They were ultimately unable to hold on, missing the chance to secure a first-ever Women's World Cup point in the dying moments of the match
Amanda Ilestedt was the woman on hand to break South African hearts, heading home from Kosovare Asllani’s corner to secure Sweden the points as they bid to improve on their third-place finish in 2019.
Flashscore Player of the Match: Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden)
See all the match details here.
