It was the result that Uefa, and Italy for than matter, were dreading. But there can be no fingers pointed at Sweden and Denmark in an accusing of skulduggery tone after they served up a wonderful spectacle that provided a dramatic ending to send both the Norse sides through to the quarter-finals.
Ironically, all the talk before the game was of the possibility of the two teams contriving a result between them that would see both sides qualify, in other words any high scoring draw from 2-2 upwards. The Italians had protested before the game that this could be possible - a rich observation, given that such a ploy from the two Norse sides would be Italian in its very essence.
The Italians may have been unhappy at the prospect of a 2-2 draw, but the truth is that the Azzurri had no-one but themselves to blame for their precarious position.
This was the 98th meeting between the two sides. Of the previous 97 Sweden had a respectable overall lead with 45 victories to Denmark's 36. Interestingly, there had only been three previous occasions were the sides have fought out a 2-2 draw - the last of which came in 1979.
The Danes, needing that high scoring draw or victory more than the Swedes, started the brighter of the two. The rain poured down on the Estadio do Bessa, appropriate given the sides on show, and Denmark set about getting the points they so desperately needed.
The first real chance fell to Gronkjaer, who started his first game of the championship ahead of the injured Dennis Rommedahl. Coming on from the flank, he fired a shot high into the side netting when he should have at least hit the target. But Denmark's opener was in the post, and when it came it was something special.
Jon Dahl Tomasson, a man more prolific that some would give him credit for, fired home a wonderful opener. Twenty-odd yards from goal; he took one touch on his chest and sent home what can only be described as a ferocious lob over the stranded Isaksson. It was nothing more than the Danes deserved, but it served only to sting the Swedes into action as the tempo went up a notch.
The Danish keeper, Thomas Sorensen, who has impressed a great deal in this tournament, and was still to concede coming into this game, was brought into the action on the 35th minute mark when he produced a fine double save from Larsson and then Ibrahimovic to deny Sweden an equaliser. Sorensen, though, was stranded just moments later when Jonson hit the post with a fine header from a corner-kick as the men in yellow swarmed around the Danish area like angry wasps round a honey pot. It was becoming an intriguing game, and when half-time came and we found out that Bulgaria were leading Italy, it became even more so.
The second-half opened in the most dramatic fashion when Sweden were awarded what can only be described as a horrific penalty decision when Sorensen was judged to have brought down Henrik Larsson. We in the blue corner have long complained about Larsson's ability to 'win' penalties, tonight he showed a wider audience why that is the case by conning the referee into pointing to the spot. Larsson picked himself up to slot home the award, the first goal that Sorenson and Denmark had conceded in the competition.
Game on, and when news filtered through that Italy had also scored an early second-half leveller in the other game, the possibilities of what was about to happen in the next 45 minutes widened.
We didn't have too long to wait to see what would unfold next as Denmark took the lead again in the 65th minute, and it was that man Jon Dahl Tomasson who got the goal again. Unlike his first outrageous effort, though, it was more of a poachers' goal, hovering on the edge of the six yard to pick up the scraps form a corner kick. Given the nature of Sweden's equaliser, it was just reward that the Danes got the goal that could guarantee their further participation.
Denmark should have sewn the game up with a handful of chances towards the end, but there was to be drama in the last minute when Sweden snatched a late goal through Jonson after a blunder by Sorensen set him up, giving both sides a place in the last eight in the process.
With the game between Italy and Bulgaria still level, it seemed it would not cause too much controversy, but that theory went for a bunk when Italy scored in the 94th minute of their match to seal the win they needed. Little did they know that the two Scandinavian sides were simply killing time until the final whistle and Italy's fate, and exit, was sealed.
Denmark: Sorensen, Henriksen, Laursen, Niclas Jensen (Bogelund 45), Helveg, Daniel Jensen (Poulsen 66), Gravesen, Gronkjaer, Tomasson, Jorgensen (Rommedahl 57), Sand.
Subs Not Used: Skov-Jensen, Andersen, Kahlenberg, Kroldrup, Claus Jensen, Priske, Perez, Madsen, Lovenkrands.
Sweden: Isaksson, Mellberg, Jakobsson, Edman, Nilsson, Ljungberg, Kallstrom (Wilhelmsson 72), Andersson (Allback 81), Jonson, Ibrahimovic, Larsson.
Subs Not Used: Hedman, Kihlstedt, Lucic, Mjallby, Svensson, Hansson, Ostlund, Farnerud, Wahlstedt.
Booked: Edman, Kallstrom.
Attendance: 29,000.
Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).