World Cup, Day 4 Analysis
Sweden, Netherlands and France all kicked off their tournaments, and all struggled to varying degrees to get the results they needed.
Sweden escape an opening game shock
Ranked third in the world, there's always plenty expected from the Swedes going into any major tournament, but time is running out for this current generation to make their mark on a World Cup.
It threatened to not get off to the best start, and there's plenty of credit that needs to go to South Africa for that, but in the end a fortuotous goal awarded to Fridolina Rolfö and a last-minute Amanda Ilestedt header spared their blushes after Hildah Magaia had put the African champions ahead.
Sweden started well, but couldn't ever overly threatened Kaylin Swart in the Banyana Banyana goal. Balls into the box were wasteful, particularly from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd on the right-hand side, with sole striker Stina Blackstenius isolated and unable to get on the end of chances.
When Rytting Kaneryd did get a cross right, it was the unfortunate Lebohang Ramalepe who sliced the ball into her own net, but the goal will go to Rolfö as it brushed the Barcelona star on its way through.
Where Sweden were constantly threatening was from set-pieces, holding a huge height advantage over their African counterparts. It had looked like a goal from a corner was coming all game, and it did in the 90th-minute when new Arsenal signing Ilestedt rose highest to head home Kosovare Asllani's corner.
It was a case of job done, similar to England 24 hours previous, and Peter Gerhardsson will be pleased to be able to work on some tweaks before their next game while safe in the knowledge three points which looked in serious doubt are also in the bag.
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South Africa showed their champion class
What a day it could have been for the Africa Cup of Nations champions. Ranked an almighty 51 spots behind Sweden in the FIFA rankings, they came so close to an upset, and even a point would have been a great start in what is likely to be a closely fought group.
They started, as perhaps expected, on the back foot against one of the best in the world, but Sweden didn't punish many of the good positions they got into.
But you have to credit Desiree Ellis for the set up, especially amidst the backdrop of coming into the tournament in the middle of a pretty public dispute with their federation over World Cup bonuses.
The back four of Sibulele Holweni, Bongeka Gamede, Bambanani Mbane and Ramalepe were superb, with Gamede for me the standout during the game, with Mbane close behind. In front of them, Kholosa Biyana and Refiloe Jane were equally good, while on the counter Jermaine Seoposenwe and Thembi Kgatlana were a constant threat, if at times a little wasteful and failed to find each other on counter attacks.
When they took the lead, they had some lax defending and a flap from Sweden goalkeeper Zećira Mušović to thank as Magaia bundled home from pretty much on the line, but it felt deserved for the defensive effort they'd put in and how dangerous they'd looked trying to get in behind what was at times a sluggish Sweden defence.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given some of their players are still semi-professional, Banyana Banyana tired as the game went on and after the mental blow of Sweden's equaliser, continued to retreat into their own penalty area, and were harshly punished by their Achilles heel in the final minute when Ilestedt headed home the corner.
But South Africa showed every credential necessary to believe they can more than take it to both Italy and Argentina in the anticipated battle for second place in the group.
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