Crying Game as Favoured Argentina Crash Out to Swedes
Argentina had the bulk of the chances, but although they came from behind to rescue a late point it was not enough to take them into last 16 as they danced what proved to be a last tango in Asia.
The South Americans dominated the opening half and missed several opportunities, but they looked headed for defeat after a brilliantly curled Anders Svensson free-kick 14 minutes after the restart put the Swedes in front.
Substitute Hernan Crespo bagged a late equaliser on the rebound after Ariel Ortega saw Swedish keeper Magnus Hedman push out his 87th-minute penalty.
But the draw was not good enough for the Argentines, who needed to win to avoid crashing in the first round for the first time since 1962. Their 1-0 loss to England last week eventually proved fatal and they joined France as favoured teams to be sent packing from the first round.
The South Americans pushed hard for a winner but despite four minutes of stoppage time they were unable to pierce the Swedish rearguard a second time.
The result sent Sweden through as winners of Group F, with England finishing second after drawing 0-0 with Nigeria. Sweden now play senegal in Oita, Japan, on Sunday, while England take on Denmark on Saturday in Niigata, also in Japan, in the last 16.
Argentina's talismanic striker Gabriel Batistuta drew a blank and suffered the humiliation of seeing his World Cup career end with a second-half substitution as coach Marcelo Bielsa threw on Crespo.
"It's over and the pain is double," said Batistuta. "I had dreamed of a different ending.
"We were looking forward to winning. We felt for the people of Argentina. It was very close and being unable to pay the debt to them makes us feel bad." Bielsa said he had never felt worse.
"Shattered is the word I would use and that might be too mild," Bielsa said.
"It is definitely the worst day of my life and I feel for those guys in the dressing room becuase they are a great bunch and were really unlucky to go out.
Swedish coach Lars Lagerback said his team had ridden their luck as the Argentines threw everything into attack.
-------------------------------------------------- ------------- "We were a little lucky today, but that is football," said Lagerback, one half of a coaching duo with Tommy Soderberg.
"I knew that we would have to defend very well".
In a further setback the Argentines had veteran striker Claudio Caniggia dismissed from the substitutes' bench seconds before half-time after apparently insulting referee Ali Bujsaim.
bielsa had persisted with batistuta as his sole out and out striker - but his patience snapped after 57 minutes as he hauled off the 33-year-old and sent on crespo.
sure enough, a goal duly arrived - but for sweden.
and it was svensson who got it in style, curling a wicked freekick right-footed just inside pablo cavallero's near post.
svensson, the 25-year-old midfielder who plays for english premiership club southampton, described the goal as the highlight of his career.
"the is the biggest thing i've ever experienced as a footballer.
it feels fantastic," he said.
"when i saw the ball go in i went crazy. i ran around like crazy. it was crazy." andreas andersson nearly made it 2-0 with seven minutes left - but his shot hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced out.
javier zanetti drove a furious low drive goalwards but hedman saved brilliantly as argentina grew increasingly desperate in the closing stages.
but they gained a lifeline after mattias jonson brought down ortega and the referee pointed to the spot, leading to the equaliser.
the south americans had dropped juan sebastian veron for pablo aimar for the crucial encounter and handed the captain's armband to 56-goal star batistuta.
veron came on in the second half but was unable to rescue a win and at the end he and batistuta were among the argentine players who appeared distraught at their shock exit.