Amanda Ilestedt proved Sweden’s hero, the defender dramatically coming up with a ninetieth minute winning header to see off a brave South Africa side.

Bongeka Gamede started strongly for South Africa, making her physical presence known with a few well-timed early interventions, one of which enabled her to play in Jermaine Seosposenwe whose cross didn’t threaten.

Sweden, for all of their early control and possession, hadn’t tested Kaylan Swart in goal as Banyana Banyana defended resolutely, Swart only called upon to punch Sweden’s first corner clear.

Indeed, they came closest to scoring in the sixteenth minute, Refiloe Jane firing in an audacious lobbed effort after Zerica Musovic was spied off her goal line, the chip landing not far away on the roof of the net.

A set piece led to Sweden’s first effort on target, Kosovare Asslani with a pearoller that was easy for swart as the world number three ranked side struggled to break down South Africa.

Poor final ball delivery was desperately undermining Sweden as they constantly got into the final third but they nearly conceded on the counterattack, Seosposenwe sprinting in but firing straight at Musovic.

Themi Kgatalana, the midfielder who scored South Africa’s only goal at the 2019 tournament, was proving a thorn in Sweden’s side, her pace keeping the defence occupied as half time loomed, Banyana Banyana doing excellently.

Before then though, Amanda Ilestedt powered a header high, Elin Rubensson curled wide and Kgatalana spurned a clear opening, South Africa with a two on one but Kgatalana went herself and was crowded out.

Three minutes into the second half and she atoned in style, her run down the left untracked as she tested Musovic who could only palm the rebound out onto the onrushing Hildah Magaia, scoring South Africa’s second ever World Cup goal to give them an astonishing lead.

Sweden continued to toil as Kgatalana and co kept them wary at the back. 

But in the sixty-fifth minute, the Swedes were given a helping hand as a dangerous cross eluded all apart from South Africa right back, Lebogang Ramalape, who the ball took an unfortunate nick off to fly into the net for a bizarre leveller, the first time in this World Cup that both teams have scored in the same match!

Manager Peter Gerhardsson made a triple substitution for the final twenty minutes, but their usual, free-flowing fluidity kept eluding them as South Africa doggedly defended.

Yet it took until the last gasp stages to add a second.  With experienced forward Caroline Seger in for her fifth World Cup appearance, an umpteenth corner was swung in.

Sweden’s get out of jail card well used up to see off an impressive Banyana Banyana performance!

This time, Ilestedt timed her header to perfection, the connection sweet and soaring into the net to cue contrasting emotions.

South Africa face another tough test next, playing Argentina in Dunedin on Friday.  Sweden’s second game is a day later, without any travelling, against Italy in Wellington.