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Swedes celebrate place in second round STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) -- Fans wearing the yellow and blue jerseys of the national soccer team launched a noisy celebration in the center of Stockholm on Wednesday after Sweden tied Argentina 1-1 to move into the World Cup's second round. Some fans jumped into a downtown fountain in the city's main square, while others circled the area in their cars, waving Swedish flags and honking their horns. Minutes before, as the game entered its final moments, nervous fans crammed into bars and restaurants across the capital, chanted and clapped. Argentina scored a late equalizer and tested Sweden's sturdy defense with some dangerous challenges. But the chants turned to cheers and hugs when the final whistle sounded and two-time champion Argentina was knocked out of the tournament. "We managed to go on to the next round, which is most important," said Ove Lindau, a 41-year-old construction worker who took time off to watch the morning match on a big screen in a crowded bar. Tomas Westermark, an Internet company employee who watched the game at an Irish pub with colleagues and friends, said the tie with favored Argentina showed Sweden could repeat its third-place finish in the 1994 tournament. "I don't think anyone rationally thought that we could do this," he said. "If we can beat Senegal (on Sunday), maybe we can go quite far." Dozens of fans raced to the towering fountain that stands in the middle of Stockholm's central Sergels Torg Square, with many jumping into the water and cheering as cars decorated in Sweden's colors drove by. An even wilder celebration took place here eight years ago when Sweden reached the final four before losing to eventual champion Brazil in the semifinals. Wednesday's game from Miyagi was broadcast live and seen by many in this Scandinavian nation of 8.9 million people, despite kicking off at 8:30 a.m. local time. Lawmakers cut short their morning debate and the Federation of Swedish County Councils started its congress an hour late. It put up a large-screen television to let delegates watch the second half. That left economists fretting about a loss of productivity. "Today's game cost the Swedish economy between 1 billion and 1.5 billion kronor ($100 million-$150 million) because of the fall in production when parts of Sweden ground to a halt for two hours," said Carl Hamilton, a professor at the Stockholm School of Economics. Still, Hamilton welcomed the result, if not for the same reason as most people. "Had Sweden lost, it would have taken longer for work to start again," he said.
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