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Sweden showed their pedigree with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over South Africa in a women's international friendly played at the Cape Town Stadium on Sunday. The Swedes are ranked 10th in the world compared to 54th for their hosts, and that extra quality showed, even if they were given a few alarms by the pacey home side. Some 12 000 fans came out to watch the high-profile fixture which is the start of South Africa's build-up to the 2018 African Women's Championship in November, from where they will hope to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in France next year. Sweden were ahead on the 10-minute mark as former Paris St Germain and Manchester City midfielder Kosovare Asllani delivered a free-kick into the box and Banyana Banya defender Bambanani Mbane could only steer the ball into her own net. South Africa had two good chances after that, both falling to Thembi Kgatlana after she had been put through on goal by the excellent Chantelle Esau -- later named player of the match. With the first Kgatlana had just Swedish goalkeeper Hilda Carlen to beat, but put her shot wide of goal. In the second instance she was under more pressure from the visitors' defence and this time blasted the ball over the top. South Africa had worked hard to go into the break just 1-0 behind, but that was 2-0 within 60 seconds of the restart as 18-year-old Swede Loreta Kullashi netted a tap-in one minute into her international debut. Impressive Swedish playmaker Sofia Jakobsson then thundered a shot from 30-yards against the crossbar with Banyana Banyana goalkeeper Kaylin Swart beaten. The game was wrapped up with 20 minutes remaining when Kullashi got her second, advancing forward and shooting past a diving Swart from the edge of the box.
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