COLUMBUS, Ohio - Sweden beat Nigeria 3-0 Sunday behind two

goals by Hanna Ljungberg and moved into the quarterfinals in the Women's World Cup.

The victory gave Sweden second place in

Group A, after the U.S. beat North Korea to knock the Asian champs out of the tournament.

Ljungberg, who set a league record with 39 goals for her Swedish

team last year, broke a scoring slump with her first goals of the

first round.

Malin Andersson helped set up Ljungberg's first goal in the 56th

minute with a long kick to the right of the goal. Victoria Svensson

kept the ball in play, kicking it back in front of the goal.

Ljungberg headed it in before Nigerian goaltender Precious Dede

could react.

Ljungberg raised her hands in celebration and was surrounded by

teammates as a sellout crowd cheered. There was a sparse turnout at

the outset but most of the seats were filled as the U.S. game

neared.

The Swedes sealed the victory with two goals in a one-minute

span. Ljungberg scored in the 80th minute on an assist from Therese

Sjoegran, who beat defender Ifeaniyichukwu Chiejine. Malin

Moestroem scored on a breakaway seconds later for a 3-0 lead.

Dede had dominated until Ljungberg's goal, making diving stops

and leaping high to deflect high shots over the bar. She had nine

saves in the first half.

Nigeria, outscored 11-0 in its three first-round matches, seldom

pressured the Sweden defense. Goaltender Caroline Joensson stopped

shots by Perpetua Nkwocha twice in the first half and then grabbed

a header by Nkwocha in the 75th minute to preserve the shutout.