Pablo Sarabia's penalty proved sufficient for 'La Roja' to take all three factors in Athens and circulate a point above Sweden beforehand of a winner-takes-all conflict between the edges in Seville on Sunday.
Despite the presence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and rising celebrity Alexander Isak up the front, the Swedes have been humbled by using second-1/2 goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in Tblisi.
Cristiano Ronaldo did not fire a lacklustre Portugal as they had to preserve on for a 0-0 draw against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin after a past due pink card for Pepe.
Ronaldo twice came closest to breaking the deadlock for the traffic as he headed inches extensive before also failing to hit the target with a curling effort from the threshold of the container.
Pepe became shown the 14th crimson card of his career eight minutes from time for elbowing Callum Robinson.
Ireland lost to Luxembourg and drew with Azerbaijan at home earlier inside the group to break their possibilities of qualification.
But Stephen Kenny's men have been denied a famous win in stoppage time when Matt Doherty's strike turned into dominated out for a bad on Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio.
A point edges Portugal to the pinnacle of Group A, level on factors with Serbia, who they host in their very last game of the section in Lisbon at the weekend.
Croatia will even face Russia on Sunday in a shootout to qualify after both recorded resounding wins.
Luka Modric changed into among the goalscorers for the 2018 World Cup finalists as they thrashed Malta 7-1.
