NICE, France – Kosovare Asllani set Sweden on its way to a 2-1 victory over England for third place in the Women’s World Cup on Saturday night, but she almost didn’t play in the bronze-medal match.
Asllani was taken off the field on a stretcher with a head injury during Wednesday’s semifinal loss to the Netherlands in Lyon and was taken to the hospital. After Saturday’s win, the 29-year-old midfielder revealed that as late as Friday she was told she wouldn’t be able to play in the match at Stade de Nice.
“Yesterday, I got a no about playing from our medical staff. But we did the test again today and it was positive,” an emotional Asllani said. “I felt it was going to take a lot for me to miss this game, but I really gave it my all and I feel in every percent of my body that I’ve given it all.”
It’s the third time Sweden has finished third at the Women’s World Cup, with the team also earning bronze in 1991 in China and in 2011 in Germany. The country’s highest finish at the tournament was second place in 2003 in the United States.
Asllani gave her team the lead in the 11th minute as it took advantage of early struggles by England.