Soccer: Senegal beats Sweden 2-1 with golden goal

9.30pm

OITA - Senegal's Henri Camara tonight snatched only the second golden goal in World Cup history to stun Sweden 2-1 and claim a place in the quarter-finals.

Camara struck his second goal of the match after 104 minutes with a low drive into the bottom left-hand corner of the net off the post, setting off wild celebrations among the African fans attending their first World Cup.

Cameroon coach Bruno Metsu said: "It was not luck. We are seeing the birth of a great team."

Sweden took the lead through Henrik Larsson's 11th-minute header only for debutants Senegal, who shocked holders France 1-0 in the opening game of the tournament, to equalise through Camara eight minutes before halftime.

The only previous occasion when a World Cup tie was settled by a golden goal was four years ago when France beat Paraguay 1-0 in the second round, with central defender Laurent Blanc grabbing the all-important strike on the way to their title win.

Senegal are only the second African nation, after Cameroon in 1990, to reach the last eight. Like Cameroon who beat world champions Argentina in the opening match in 1990, Senegal upset the previous holders at the start of the tournament.

The winners will now play Japan or Turkey in the quarter-finals. Whatever the result, a team which has never reached the semi-final of the World Cup will qualify for the last four here.

"It was a completely mad game and I think the fans will be very happy. Sweden are a very strong team and Argentina and England (group opponents) both broke their teeth on them," French-born Metsu added.

"I'm now thinking about the Swedes -- losing like that must be very tough."

Match-winner Camara said: "We are not here to be tourists. I'm very happy but we will try to forget this match and focus on the next."

Swedish coach Lars Lagerback said: "I feel sad because we warmed up in the second half and I feel we had the best chances.

"We didn't play that well defensively for a period during the first half but we improved in the second half and we had more chances and that's why it feels hard to lose."

Lagerback's Sweden had come through a desperately difficult group F involving England and Argentina undefeated and went ahead when prolific striker Larsson headed home an Anders Svensson corner.

It was the Swede's 24th goal in 72 internationals but after that the 1994 semi-finalists lost their early momentum.

Senegal, Africa's only representatives in the last 16, deservedly equalised eight minutes before the interval.

Camara sidestepped Johan Mjallby's challenge and drilled the ball low into the bottom corner to send the rhythmic rattle of the drummers among Senegal's fans into ecstatic overdrive in the sweltering conditions at the Big Eye stadium in western Japan.

Senegal also had a Pape Boupa Diop effort ruled out by a tight offside decision as Sweden, without injured midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg who failed a late fitness test, visibly wilted in the heat as the first half wore on.

Sweden improved at the start of the second period and both Marcus Allback and Anders Svensson threatening to restore their advantage.

Substitute Andreas Andersson also fired wastefully over for the Swedes after a good link up with Larsson, while Senegal's impressive El Hadji Diouf tested Sweden goalkeeper Magnus Hedman with a curling free kick.

With 10 minutes to go, Sweden substitute Zlatan Ibrahimovic looked likely to break the deadlock, cutting inside two defenders and unleashing a powerful shot which was well saved.

But with so much at stake and the hot conditions making it slow going for both sides, neither goalkeeper was overly bothered and golden goal extra time became inevitable.

Ibrahimovic again had the chance to settle it in extra time but keeper Tony Sylva saved bravely as the Swedes began the brighter.

Svensson then rattled the post after a magnificent turn with a powerful drive as Senegal rode their luck again before Camara's decisive strike.

- REUTERS

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