CHRIS HATHERALL IN SOCHI: Zlatan Ibrahimovic may not be here with them but Sweden, with a team whose image is the antithesis of their former hero, came so close to becoming legends.

MATT BARLOW AT FISHT OLYMPIC STADIUM: For a short time, just over half an hour including the half-time interval, Germany were on their way out of the World Cup.

Sweden boss Janne Andersson accused the Germans of gloating and 'rubbing his face' in defeat after the goal which puts them back in control of their destiny in Group F.

Germany went 1-0 behind against Sweden but Marco Reus levelled before Toni Kroos stepped up and smashed a last-gasp free-kick into the top corner at the Fisht Olympic Stadium on Saturday evening.

Toni Kroos has praised his Germany team-mates for their second-half performance against Sweden on Saturday which saw them come from a goal down to win in the last minute. 

Albin Ekdal has had x-rays on a foot problem while fellow Sweden midfielder Jimmy Durmaz also missed his country's training session on Wednesday because of a minor issue with his hip.

Victor Lindelof will return from the Russia World Cup with his stock higher than ever before, and has a series of clubs interested in acquiring his services on loan for next season.

Spanish papers have heaped praise on Sergio Ramos as the captain looks set to break Iker Casillas' record by winning his 168th cap for Spain.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is currently gearing up for Spain's Euro 2020 qualifier against Norway on Saturday night, enjoyed a break from his goalkeeping duties during training.

Spain midfielder Ceballos fouled Olsson and was subsequently shown a yellow card as Spain trailed in the match.

Sweden striker Alexander Isak was subjected to racist abuse by Romania fans during his side's 2-0 win. The game was stopped by the referee as the first step of UEFA's protocol.

The 38-year-old striker, who rejoined the club on December 27 in a surprise switch, will have his contract automatically extended for a season should Milan qualify for the Champions League.

Sydney-born Konta, 28, moved to Eastbourne in East Sussex with her Hungarian parents when she was 14-years-old.

Heather Watson is part of a new crop of players that have recently re-energised the British game. Katie Nicholl meets the British tennis star who's aceing it on and off Centre Court

The athlete, 28, has revealed that her family members and close friends have failed to recognise her when she is out of her tennis whites.

Most of us appreciate the value of a good night's sleep, but how much would you pay to wake up feeling refreshed and restored each day?

Johanna Konta suffered a first-round defeat at the Rogers Cup in Toronto as the British No 1 was beaten in straight sets by 19-year-old Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska.

The actor, 38, looked enthralled as he watched Johanna Konta of Great Britain play against Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic on Sunday.

He's been taking advantage of his temporary American residency by enjoying the US Open. 

Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland will 'always be' a European nation while on a visit to Brussels, where she embraced the European Commission President.

On his first visit to Scotland, Mr Johnson told the SNP leader the UK would leave the EU on Halloween. He was booed by protesters in Edinburgh.

Nicola Sturgeon said the case for breaking up the UK was 'stronger every day' after the research found 52 per cent would support the move.

Nicola Sturgeon warned that Jeremy Corbyn would have to take a 'very firm anti-Brexit position' in order for the parties to work together.

Labour was last night accused of betraying the Union to get Jeremy Corbyn into No10 after it crawled over to the SNP and offered them a second independence referendum.

The Good Morning Britain host said MPs had tried to 'thwart the will of the people' who had voted to leave the EU in angry exchanges with the SNP leader today.

The SNP leader vowed to pass the law on the issue by the end of 2019 with a view to holding the vote in the second half of next year.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon broke ranks with other Remainers by suggesting that a confidence vote to oust Boris Johnson should be held before an extension is secured.

Dominic Cummings told Downing Street staff that Bill Clinton was more popular as he ignored the Monica Lewinsky scandal and concentrated on his political agenda instead.

Piers Morgan challenged Nicola  Sturgeon to 'suck it up' comparing her defeat in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum to Scotland's rugby loss to Japan yesterday.

Nicola Sturgeon today issued a fresh rallying cry for Scottish independence as she claimed the SNP is 'winning the case' for a split from the rest of the UK, but Downing Street was quick to rebuff her.

The first minister of Scotland said that her party's message would be 'clear, simple and unambiguous - vote SNP to demand independence and secure Scotland's right to choose'.

Jeremy Corbyn said he last spoke to Ms Sturgeon around 10 days ago, insisting as leaders they had to speak regularly.

Nicola Sturgeon has condemned Jo Swinson after the Liberal Democrat leader said without hesitation that she would authorise the use of nuclear weapons.

Nicola Sturgeon tonight claimed Jeremy Corbyn would be willing to sacrifice the Union of the United Kingdom if that was the price of taking power after the election.

Nicola Sturgeon today confirmed she would demand the UK's Trident nuclear deterrent be scrapped as the price of SNP support for a minority Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn.

Boris Johnson today claimed Jeremy Corbyn is not 'tough enough' to stand up to Nicola Sturgeon and reject her demands for a second Scottish independence referendum.

John Nicholson, the candidate for the marginal seat of Ochil and South Perthshire, tried to rally supporters with a tub-thumping speech ahead of the tightly-fought ballot on December 12.

Nicola Sturgeon today demanded £4 billion in extra funding for the NHS in Scotland as her latest price for supporting a minority Labour government.

In a dramatic intervention, Dominic Cummings said the General Election was 'much tighter' than the polls suggested and warned of a 'very real possibility of a hung parliament'.

Nicola Sturgeon's plans for an independent Scotland suffered a hammer blow today after a leading think tank warned splitting from the UK would mean 'more not less austerity' north of the border.

STEPHEN GLOVER: The British are respected for their good sense and moderation, or used to be. But they may be about to choose an extremist government that would crash the economy.

The Liberal Democrats lost the East Dunbartonshire seat to the SNP's Amy Callaghan by just 149 votes. Nicola Sturgeon was filmed shaking her fists with joy at the news of her party's gain.

Ms Sturgeon was filmed reacting to the Dunbartonshire East result while doing interviews at the Glasgow count, but has faced fierce criticism over her behaviour.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon teed up a pitch battle for the future of the UK claiming Boris Johnson will be 'subverting democracy' by refusing a ballot.

The SNP won 35 seats in 2017 but managed to secure 12 more at the general election last week - a surge which has bolstered Ms Sturgeon's calls for a second breakaway ballot.

The SNP leader made the admission as she addressed the Holyrood parliament and tore into the Prime Minister after his election win. The SNP itself now holds 47 of the 59 seats in Scotland.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said she had won overwhelming support north of the border in the election last week - and the PM had no right to block a new bid to break up the UK.

The First Minister said that the Prime Minister's decision to block a new vote was 'a sign of weakness' as she continued to build her case the break up the UK.

Research by Panelbase suggests that a narrow majority would vote to break up the UK if Nicola Sturgeon gets her way over holding a fresh referendum.

Nicola Sturgeon is alleged to have issued the edict after concerns were raised at staff meetings about Derek Mackay's behaviour.