Howard, Ekholm Punch Quarterfinal Tickets for U.S. and Sweden

The last day of group play had the kind of scoreboard-watching tension that makes bench bosses sweat and assistants pretend they are not doing math. Howard and Ekholm helped the United States and Sweden take care of business when the margin for error was gone, and that is the sort of pressure that separates survivors from luggage on the tournament floor. The quarterfinal picture is now set, and the teams that advanced did not get there by accident.