CHANCE! Insigne is teed up on the half-volley in the left inside channel, but he can only scuff his effort past the post.
90' +3
Lindelof makes an important headed clearance in the box to steer Insigne's lofted pass away from Immobile. Sweden have been resolute all evening.
90' +2
Sweden's solid play continues as they're working down the clock. Italy are going to have a lot of work ahead of them in the second leg.
90'
There will be five minutes of added time.
Poor from Darmian as he raids down the left flank and sends his cross out of play for a goal-kick.
88'
Chiellini pounces on a loose ball in the final third and swings a dangerous low cross towards Immobile, but the striker is flagged offside. Solid work by the Sweden backline there to keep their discipline.
86'
Larsson gets back for the home side to stop Darmian's marauding run and his clearance forces Chiellini to head out for a throw-in. This will take further valuable seconds off the clock.
85'
Sweden are taking the pace out of the game at every opportunity. They will be determined to take this one-goal lead over to Milan next week.
83'
G. Svensson enters the game and replaces E. Krafth.
Krafth makes way for Svensson.
82'
Insigne lifts a teasing ball over the top of the Sweden defence, but it's just out of the reach of Immobile on the slide. It has been one of those nights for the Azzurri in the final third.
79'
Krafth goes down with cramp in his right leg and play stops to allow him to receive treatment.
Minute
Description
78'
Italy are trying to up the ante to get back into the contest this evening, but the home side are remaining solid at the back. The Azzurri have to be careful not to commit too many men forward otherwise they could be exposed on the counter.
76'
L. Insigne enters the game and replaces M. Verratti.
Verratti makes way for Insigne.
Candreva sends a threatening cross in from the right, but the home side have enough men behind the ball to clear the danger.
75'
I. Kiese Thelin enters the game and replaces M. Berg.
Kiese Thelin replaces Berg for the home side.
BLOCK! Sweden clear the corner, but Eder goes for the strike from the edge of the box, only to be denied by the body of Kiese Thelin.
74'
Candreva probes down the right flank and goes for the cross on his left foot, but it's deflected over the bar by Augustinsson. Italy have come to life a little bit since going behind.
71'
SHOT! Claesson finds space down the right and he collects a short pass before firing first time at goal, only to be denied by a comfortable save from Buffon.
70'
OFF THE POST! Darmian is afforded space and time on the edge of the box to drill an effort at goal on the half-volley. The ball sails through a crowd of players, but rattles off the post and Olsen is able to pounce on the rebound. A massive let-off for the hosts.
68'
Sweden move the ball with speed in the final third before it's sent right to Krafth. However, the full-back gets his cross wrong, sending it over the bar. A waste from Krafth.
66'
Italy have not been able to match the tenacity of the home side's play this evening. Sweden have been first to every second ball and are edging the 50/50 battles in the middle of the park.
65'
Éder enters the game and replaces A. Belotti.
Belotti makes way for Eder for the Azzurri.
63'
Darmian tries to respond for the visitors and he sends a looping cross to the back post, but the home side are able to clear the danger.
61'
J. Johansson has scored a goal for Sweden! Assist by O. Toivonen.
GOALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! SWEDEN TAKE THE LEAD! Out of nothing the home side strike. Krafth sends the ball into the box from a throw-in and Toivonen battles Chiellini to steer the ball into the path of Johansson. He strikes with power on the edge of the area and his effort takes a massive deflection off Bonucci to wrong foot Buffon and nestle into the bottom corner. A huge moment in the tie.
Toivonen battles Chiellini and flicks the ball into the path of Johansson to shoot and score with the aid of a deflection.
60'
De Rossi hits the deck under the aerial challenge of Berg. Sweden are not impressed by his theatrics, suggesting that he was trying to get the striker into trouble. The match is simmering nicely.
58'
Berg continues to put himself about in the final third with a nudge of Chiellini that sends him flying into Buffon. The Sweden forward has to be careful after his first-half booking.
57'
J. Johansson enters the game and replaces A. Ekdal.
Johansson replaces Ekdal for the home side.
54'
Parolo and Belotti link up in the final third, with the midfielder surging into the box. However, Larsson tracks his run brilliantly and is able to shield the ball into the hands of Olsen.
52'
Italy are moving the ball with a stronger intent than the first half, but they are having a tough time breaking down the home side.
50'
Tovionen catches Bonucci as the two collide in the air, but the referee is not convinced by the theatrics of the Italy defender on the deck. He was touched by the arm of the forward, but his reaction was slightly over the top.
48'
SAVE! Italy work the ball well from the corner to set up a shooting opportunity for Candreva. He goes for the blast towards the near post, but Olsen makes a good reaction save.
47'
Candreva breaks down the right and fires the ball low towards the near post. Granqvist makes the decision to leave the ball and expose his side, but Krafth is there and alert to steer the ball behind for a corner.
46'
We're back underway in Solna.
45'
Larsson has an opportunity to swing a cross in from the left flank to end the half, but he cannot find a team-mate in the box.
The referee ends the first half.
43'
Sweden probe down the left, but Augustinsson's cross from the left is cleared away by a powerful header from Bonucci.
42'
It has been a tense first half of action, but neither side has produced a moment of quality as of yet. Can there be a breakthrough before half-time?
40'
BLOCK! Toivonen takes the free-kick, but he smashes his effort into the wall and the visitors clear the danger with ease. Disappointing from the forward.
39'
Darmian brings down Toivonen on the edge of the box and Sweden are awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position.
37'
CLOSE! Chiellini allows the ball to bounce over him in the box and Berg almost pounces, only for Buffon to knock the ball away from the forward. The veteran is out again to deny Toivonen, punching the ball away from the forward's path before he react to the rebound.
36'
Solid communication between Granqvist and Olsen at the back as the defender allows a long ball to travel over his head and the keeper gathers ahead of Immobile.
34'
The intensity has not faded from the home side or their supporters 34 minutes into the contest. They've lacked quality in the final third, but the effort has been a constant for Andersson's men.
32'
Claesson has a drive from the edge of the box on his left foot, but the boot of Toivonen steers the ball away from goal and the advancing Forsberg. Frustration for the home side.
30'
Darmian has time to lift a cross to the back post from the left flank, but his ball into the area evades yellow and blue shirts alike and heads out for a goal-kick.
28'
M. Verratti gets yellow.
Verratti catches Berg late and goes into the book. He will miss the second leg as a result of his booking.
27'
Verratti lifts the ball over the top of the Sweden defence and Immobile latches on to the pass in the box. However, he fails to take the ball in stride and Lindelof whips the ball away from the forward.
25'
OVER! Forsberg's finishing lets him down once again in front of goal as he curls the ball over the bar from the edge of the box. Sweden's forwards caused problems in the final third before Toivonen teed up the midfielder for the shot, but he couldn't hit the target.
23'
Berg battles in the right inside channel and he wins a corner off the legs of Chiellini. A chance for Sweden to throw men forward into the box.
22'
De Rossi makes a risky challenge in the box to dispossess Claesson. Fortunately for the midfielder he wins the ball, but he was awfully close to making contact with the Swede.
20'
OFFSIDE! Toivonen threads the ball through to Forsberg in the box, but the midfielder is caught offside moving a fraction too early before he fires at goal.
18'
It has been a physical contest thus far and Berg takes a blow to the chest in an aerial battle with De Rossi. It's going to be a full-blooded affair.
16'
Italy have done well over the last couple of minutes to take the pace out of the game. The Azzurri are starting to control the tempo by moving the ball slowly around the pitch.
14'
Verratti swings a dangerous cross to the back post aiming for Candreva's run, but the winger does not read the flight of the ball correctly and it heads out for a goal-kick.
12'
The home side move the ball around the Italy half and when Belotti tries to win possession from Ekdal, the striker brings down the midfielder with a late challenge.
10'
Sweden have come out firing in the early stages of the contest with a great deal of energy trying to put the visitors on the back foot. The Azzurri will need all their experience this evening.
8'
WIDE! Forsberg creates space on the edge of the box and he offloads to his right to tee up Toivonen. The forward goes for the first-time strike, but places his effort just past the post. The home side were mere inches away from the lead.
6'
CHANCE! Darmian gets behind the Sweden defence down the left and he lifts a dangerous ball into the box. Belotti attacks the cross at the back post and makes solid contact, but he sends his effort inches past the post.
5'
Sweden put the pressure on the Azzurri at the back, but the visitors manage to play their way out from the back with a series of short sharp passes.
4'
OVER! A waste of an effort from Forsberg as he lifts his effort over the wall, but sends his effort into the stand behind the goal.
3'
Sweden send the ball forward and again Bonucci and Berg collide in the final third. The Milan defender pulls back the forward before he can fire at goal and the referee awards a free-kick on the edge of the box.
1'
M. Berg gets yellow.
We're underway at the Friends Arena.
Berg goes into the book for dissent after the challenge by Toivonen.
Immediately Toivonen and Bonucci collide in the air and the Italy defender comes off worse. He requires treatment before we can continue.
The team news has been announced and we'll start with the home side.
Italy could not match the pace of Spain during qualifying, finishing five points behind La Roja. Gian Piero Ventura's men only suffered one defeat in their 10 matches, which came on the road against Spain in September. The Azzurri did have their issues towards the end of qualifying, drawing against Macedonia, while they needed a late Antonio Candreva strike to overcome Albania. Italy will need a solid outing this evening.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the World Cup qualifying playoff clash between Sweden and Italy at the Friends Arena.
Sweden have made two changes from their defeat to the Netherlands last time out. Emil Krafth and Albin Ekdal come into the side to replace Mikael Lustig and Jakob Johansson, with Marcus Berg and Ola Toivonen leading the line this evening.
Italy have made four changes to their side that beat Albania in their last match. Andrea Barzagli, Marco Verratti, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Belotti get the starts this evening. Ventura lines up with a 3-5-2 formation, with Belotti and Ciro Immobile spearheading the attack.
FLASHBACK! The two sides last faced off at Euro 2016 when Eder Martins' 88th-minute strike secured a dramtic win for the Azzurri.
The players are out on the pitch, so we should be underway shortly.
Sweden finished second behind France in Group A, taking 19 points from their 10 matches. Jan Andersson's men lost three matches during the qualifying process, suffering defeats on the road at the hands of France, Bulgaria and the Netherlands. Those results highlight the fact that the Blue and Yellows need a strong performance tonight to head to the San Siro for the second leg.
HALF-TIME: SWEDEN 0-0 ITALY
It's goalless at the break between Sweden and Italy in Solna. The Azzurri may have had the best opening of the half when Andrea Belotti headed wide from close range, but Ola Toivonen also placed an effort past the post for the home side. There's been plenty of effort from Jan Andersson's men, but the lack of quality in the final third has prevented them from taking the lead. Sweden will be desperate for a goal in the second half to take to Milan for the second leg.
The players are back out for the second half, so we should be underway shortly.
FULL-TIME: SWEDEN 1-0 ITALY
It's advantage Sweden after the first leg of their playoff clash with Italy as Jakob Johansson's deflected strike has handed them a one-goal lead to take to Milan on Monday. The Azzurri were far from their best in the contest, although Andrea Belotti headed wide of the post, while Matteo Darmian struck the woodwork in the second half. However, Jan Andersson's men claimed the win as Johansson found the net just after the hour mark, giving them control of the tie heading into the second leg. It should be a thriller at the San Siro.
Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
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