Pablo Aimar shows his skills (Allsport0.

By Ian Parkes, PA Sport, Miyagi

Argentina became the second big-name casualty of the World Cup as the pre-tournament favourites joined reigning champions France on an early plane home from the Far East.

The South Americans were expected to become world champions for a third time, particularly in the wake of such an impressive qualifying display when they lost just one of their 18 matches, scoring 42 goals en route.

But in a tournament full of sensational surprises, Juan Sebastian Veron et al find themselves heading back to Argentina after failing to qualify for the second round for the first time in their last eight tournaments, stretching back to 1962.

It was Southampton's Anders Svensson who was the Swedish hero, brilliantly curling home a 27-yard free-kick to effectively seal Argentina's fate and set up coach Tommy Soderberg's side for a second round clash with another of the competition's underdogs, Senegal.

Few critics will have backed Sweden to top the 'Group of Death' in which Argentina have effectively been slain, along with Nigeria, leaving Sven-Goran Eriksson's England as runners-up.

For coach Marcelo Bielsa, it was another of those frustrating matches in which he and the rest of his squad will be left wondering just how they failed to qualify.

They totally dominated the Swedes, enjoying 653feossession in the first half, but failed to find the goals their superiority deserved until it was too late.

Pablo Aimar, starting ahead of the benched Veron, was the pivotal figure, spraying the ball out wide to either Ariel Ortega and Javier Zanetti on the right, or Claudio Lopez down the left.

But as much as Valencia star Aimar was driving on Argentina, so Celtic centre-back Johan Mjallby was a rock at the heart of the Sweden defence, clearing virtually every cross - both high and low - which was driven or curled into the area.

When Argentina did open up the Swedish backline, Juan Sorin twice headed over in the opening 45 minutes when well positioned, while Claudio Lopez failed to find the target with a number of drives from a variety of angles.

The first half ended in bizarre fashion when Rangers' Claudio Caniggia, who failed to kick a ball in the entire tournament, was dismissed from the dugout, presumably for mouthing off at an official close by.

Argentina continued their control of the game in the second half, but when Matias Almeyda brought down Svensson, up stepped the Saints star with a beauty of a free-kick on the hour.

An end-to-end finish to the game saw Magnus Hedman save superbly from Zanetti, who ended up wearing the armband following Gabriel Batistuta's withdrawal in the 59th minute moments before Svensson's strike, the Roma star bidding a sad farewell to his international career.

When substitute Mattias Jonson brought down Ortega four minutes from time, Argentina were given a lifeline, with Hernan Crespo firing in the rebound after the River Plate star's spot kick had been saved by Hedman.

But even with four minutes of injury-time, Argentina failed to find the winner which would have given them a dramatic reprieve into the knockout stages.

Teams

Sweden: Hedman, Mellberg, Mjallby, Jakobsson, Lucic, Alexandersson, Linderoth, Anders Svensson (Jonson 68), Magnus Svensson, Larsson (Ibrahimovic 88), Allback (Andreas Andersson 45).

Subs Not Used: Daniel Andersson, Patrik Andersson, Antonelius, Edman, Farnerud, Isaksson, Kihlstedt, Ljungberg, Michael Svensson.

Booked: Magnus Svensson, Larsson.

Goals: Anders Svensson 59.

Argentina: Cavallero, Zanetti, Samuel, Pocchettino, Chamot, Ortega, Almeyda (Veron 63), Sorin (Gonzalez 63), Aimar, Claudio Lopez, Batistuta (Crespo 58).

Subs Not Used: Ayala, Bonano, Burgos, Caniggia, Gallardo, Husain, Gustavo Lopez, Placente, Simeone.

Sent Off: Caniggia (45).

Booked: Chamot, Almeyda, Gonzalez.

Goals: Crespo 88.

Att: 45,777

Ref: A Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates).