Mexico 0 Sweden 3: Ludwig Augustinsson and Andreas Granqvist goals plus Edson Alvarez’s own goal sends them through as Group F winners
Both sides go through after Germany's draw with South Korea but Janne Andersson's side never looked in danger against Juan Carlos Osorio's men
IT'S NOT often people get too hot under the collar out here on the edge of Siberia where the average winter temperature is a numbing -14 degrees centigrade.
But Mexico left back Jesus Gallardo was booked after just 15 seconds of a combustible Group F clash to claim the fastest yellow card in World Cup history.
And it set the tone for a volatile battle between the fiery Mexicans and physically uncompromising Swedes as the 'Group of Death' came to a fiery end on and off the pitch.
With Mexico top of the table after two wins yet still not mathematically confirmed in the last 16 of the tournament and Sweden in third place trailing Germany on the tightest of margins there was still everything to play for.
Gallardo went straight into the book for a late aerial challenge on Ola Toivonen.
Former Arsenal and Sunderland midfielder Seb Larsson quickly followed him for a dangerously high tackle on Hirving Lozano.
By half time there were bodies lying around the pitch as the high stakes nature of the game got to both sets of players.
West Ham striker Javier Hernandez was also made to sweat when Argentinian ref Nestor Pitana consulted VAR over what looked like a handball in the box before letting him off.
Luckily for Sweden skipper Andreas Granqvist remained cool enough to slot the ball home for Sweden when Pitana did give a penalty in the 60th minute.
Hector Moreno brought down Marcus Berg and Sweden’s veteran leader stepped up and thumped the ball into the top corner Harry Kane style.
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That made it 2-0 to the Swedes after Fulham target and left back Ludwig Augustinsson smashed in a volley ten minutes earlier to give the men in yellow a shock lead.
It was the 24-year-old’s first goal for his country at any level but it only revved up the atmosphere inside this compact stadium in the eastern most outpost of the tournament.
Berg was soon limping off complaining of being elbowed as the Mexicans scrapped it out in a bid to level against a team with an average height advantage of three inches per man.
Tempers also frayed up in the stands as bottles were lobbed onto the pitch which could result in a FIFA investigation.
And seconds later Sweden put the game to bed with their third and most quirky goal when unlucky Edison Alvarez put the ball past his own keeper with his hand.
By then Mexico had lost composure and interest in their own game as they were relying on South Korea to continue holding Germany to a goalless draw to ensure that they still went through to the last 16 along with Sweden despite this heavy loss.