The Italian national football team and their embattled manager Gian Pero Ventura are in big trouble after they were beaten 1-0 by hosts Sweden to leave their Russia 2018 World Cup hopes in the balance.

Substitute Jakob Johansson was the matchwinner for the Swedes as he profited from a long throw to give his side a priceless goal four minutes after coming on for Hamburg star Albin Ekdal.

It was a dogged performance from Sweden and they fully deserved the victory with the Italians glaringly lacking invention throughout the course of the match.

Their victory puts them halfway to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia ahead of the second leg slated for Italy on Monday, November 13 as the Azzurris try to avoid missing the World Cup for the first time since the 1958 edition which was hosted by Sweden incidentally.