Fourth-quarter surge takes France past Sweden in Basketball World Cup qualifier

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/fuqXiPgO/"]Sweden[/a] made the ideal start to their second qualifying round campaign with an 86-81 away win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/finland/hrkQcWHb/"]Finland[/a] three days earlier, but even with home advantage, a match with top-of-the-group [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/dS5MsX25/"]France[/a] - fresh from cruising past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slovenia/vHfUe4nd/"]Slovenia[/a] - would require the Swedes to raise their level again.[/p][p]And raise their game they did, with [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/larsson-pelle/tWlj30Aq/"]Pelle Larsson[/a] of the Miami Heat once again running the show, scoring 18 points in the first half [/b]to ensure the teams went in level at the break, 38-38. Yet, it was already something of a missed opportunity, after Sweden had led by eight points early in the second quarter.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/klintman-bobi/nHnqbReL/"]Bobi Klintman[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hakanson-ludde/lnV7JWA5/"]Ludvig Hakanson[/a] made scoring contributions in a third quarter in which the lead changed hands constantly, ending with the Olympic silver medallists a point clear. The rhythm continued early in the fourth, as Sweden led by one point with just over five minutes to play.[/p][embed guid="b3f7ce3c-8bad-425e-800f-579cb28ddc89" url="https://x.com/FIBAWC/status/2094115491631538560" social-type="twitter" /][p]But in clutch time, France showed exactly why they are contenders to win the World Cup with a dominant end to the game - [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wembanyama-victor/jFmM1MFl/"]Victor Wembanyama[/a], the 224cm tall [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio Spurs[/a] man, sunk a three-pointer that was part of an 8-0 run[/b], and though the home side briefly cut the lead back to five, [b]France were clinical at both ends of the court to end the game with a 9-0 streak to make [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/france-dS5MsX25/sweden-fuqXiPgO/?mid=2Rt2nEVQ"]the 84-69 win[/a] look a lot simpler than it really was[/b].[/p][p]Larsson was not as effective in the second half, but still top scored with 23 points, five clear of Wembanyama, who was also second in terms of rebounds on eight, one shy of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gaddefors-viktor/08BkPfCo/"]Viktor Gaddefors[/a].[/p][p]With results carrying over from the previous round, Sweden have four wins and four defeats so far, and will resume their campaign in November with matches at home to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hungary/UDBtdAnB/"]Hungary[/a] and away to France, as they look to seal a top-three place in the group. France increased their record to 7-1 to stay in first place.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/basketball/world/world-cup/"]Follow all the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]