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NEWS
Swedish Team for European Cup 2008 (17/5/2008)
Goalkeepers:
Andreas Isaksson, 26, Manchester City
Rami Shaaban, 32, Hammarby
Johan Wiland, 27, Elfsborg
Defenders:
Fredrik Stoor, 24, Rosenborg
Mikael Nilsson, 30, Panathinaikos
Olof Mellberg, 30, Juventus
Petter Hansson, 31, Rennes
Daniel Majstorovic, 31, FC Basel
Andreas Granqvist, 23, Helsingborgs IF
Middfielders/Strikers
Niclas Alexandersson, 36, IFK Göteborg
Fredrik Ljungberg, 31, West Ham
Tobias Linderoth, 29, Galatasaray
Kim Källström, 25, Lyon
Anders Svensson, 31, IF Elfsborg
Daniel Andersson, 30, Malmö FF
Sebastian Larsson, 23, Birmingham City
CHRISTIAN WILHELMSSON, 28, Deportivo La Coruna
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 26, Inter
Johan Elmander, 27, Toulouse
Marcus Allbäck, 34, FC Köpenhamn
Markus Rosenberg, 25, Werder Bremen
Henrik Larsson, 36, Helsingborgs IF
Elmander in Barca claim (20/11/2006)
Swedish striker Johan Elmander claims that Barcelona are keeping an eye on him with a view to the January transfer window.
The 25-year-old is playing his trade for French outfit Toulouse and has impressed since a summer switch from Bröndby. Barca are currently in the grip of a striking injury crisis with Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messi and Javier Saviola all in the treatment room. Despite public denials, they have been tipped to move for reinforcements when the transfer window reopens with Elmander the latest name to be linked. The forward, who is under contract at Toulouse until 2010, caught the eye in Sweden's recent 2-0 defeat of Spain and the player himself insists that the Catalan giants have sent scouts to check on his form. "I don't have any more to say other than Barcelona is Barcelona," he told Expressen. "I only know that they told me they came to see me, but nothing else. I'm happy here at Toulouse and I have no problem with staying here."
Lars rues missed chances (16/11/2006)
Lars Lagerbäck was pleased with Sweden's performance on Wednesday, but less so with the 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast. Didier Drogba scored the only goal of the game, but Lagerbäck felt the scoreline did not do justice to his side. "Overall, I feel we stood up quite well," Lagerbäck told TV6. "When we had five one-to-ones, it feels a bit bitter that we didn't score a goal. Normally, we score two or three goals in these circumstances." Sweden were dealt a blow in the warm up as Fredrik Ljungberg was forced to miss out on account of a migraine and Lagerbäck admits it was a setback he could have done without. "It's not good to lose a player during the warm up, especially not one of Ljungberg's quality."
More facts of the Match: Ivory Coast 1-0 Sweden
Didier Drogba's 37th-minute header consigned Sweden to a narrow defeat in their first ever meeting with the Ivorians, played in the French town of Le Mans. Kennedy Bakircioglü, deputising for captain Fredrik Ljungberg, spurned the Swedes' best chances to equalise but coach Lars Lagerbäck remained positive, saying: "It was a valuable experience for the boys."
Lagerbäck to test new talent (07/11/2006)
Sweden coach Lars Lagerbäck will use the 15 November friendly against Ivory Coast to give "new players a chance to shine" after naming an inexperienced squad for the game in Paris.
Rest needed
FC Internazionale Milano's Zlatan Ibrahimoviã, fellow forward Marcus Allbäck of FC K¸benhavn and Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Kim Källström have been omitted due to their UEFA Champions League exertions, while Johan Elmander and Niclas Alexandersson are nursing injuries. "It's better that they can focus on one thing, rather than coming here when they need a rest. Their absence gives others a chance to shine," Lagerbäck said.
On top
Among those hoping to prove their worth are the uncapped SC Heerenveen striker Lasse Nilsson and fellow newcomer Martin Ericsson, a regular in midfield and on the scoresheet for Danish club Br¸ndby IF this term. Lagerbäck added: "We can work on tactics as well as giving these new players an opportunity to work their way into the squad." Sweden are the only team to have won all four of their UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying matches, sitting five points clear of Denmark and Northern Ireland in Group F.
Sweden Squad for this match:
John Alvbage (Viborg), Rami Shaaban (Fredrikstad), Mikael Antonsson (Panathinaikos), Erik Edman (Stade Rennes), Petter Hansson (Heerenveen), Daniel Majstorovic (Basel), Olof Mellberg (Aston Villa), Mikael Nilsson (Panathinaikos), Fredrik Stenman (Bayer Leverkusen), Karl Svensson (Rangers), Daniel Andersson (Malmo), Kennedy Bakircioglu (Twente), Stefan Ishizaki (Elfsborg), Tobias Linderoth (FC Copenhagen), Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg), Christian Wilhelmsson (Nantes), Lasse Nilsson (Heerenveen), Martin Ericsson (Brondby), Fredrik Berglund (FC Copenhagen), Markus Rosenberg (Ajax Amsterdam)
Coach confirms Zlatan return (07/11/2006)
Sweden coach Lars Lagerbäck has confirmed that striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will return to the international set-up next year.
Ibrahimovic has refused to play for his country since being sent home early prior to September's Euro 2008 qualifier against Liechtenstein. The Internazionale man is likely to be back for March's qualifier in Northern Ireland and Lagerbäck has welcomed his return. "Zlatan is set to return to the national team," Lagerbäck told Sportbladet. "If he is fit, he will certainly be back in the spring." However, Ibrahimovic will not be guaranteed an automatic starting spot, with Marcus Allback and Johan Elmander filling in admirably in his absence. "It has worked well without Zlatan," said assistant coach Roland Andersson to Expressen. "Zlatan is available, he wants to take part and compete.When he didn't play, Elmander and Allback stepped in and played well.That makes it harder to select the side.The others have played well and Zlatan will have to compete like anyone else."
Hansson buoyed by Italy link (27/10/2006)
Heerenveen defender Petter Hansson admits he would be interested in leaving the Abe Lenstra Stadion.
The Sweden international joined the Eredivisie's now eighth-placed team four years ago from Halmstads. He has been a mainstay in Holland so far this season and has helped the Swedes make a perfect start to their Euro 2008 qualification with four straight victories. But with his contract set to expire this summer, the surfacing of interest from Serie A giants Fiorentina appears to have taken on greater significance for the stopper. "I haven't heard anything myself, but it sounds very interesting," Hansson told Expressen. "I have one year left on my contract and Heerenveen want to extend that. But I am interested in trying something new."
Isaksson on course for City (19/10/2006)
Andreas Isaksson has given Manchester City a positive update regarding his fitness by stating he is on track to return to action in November.
The Swedish international moved to Eastlands from Rennes after the World Cup finals but has been unable to make his debut under Stuart Pearce due to some acute injury misfortune. A lingering foot problem following his exploits in Germany hindered his progress at first, before the 25-year-old injured his knee in a training collision with Bernardo Corradi. Isaksson's absence has allowed Nicky Weaver and, in City's last outing, Joe Hart to try their hand for Pearce's team, but the Swedish shot-stopper says his recovery is going to plan and that he could be fit to make his debut next month. "I was jogging for the first time on Thursday and that felt nice," Isaksson told Sportbladet. "I am a bit achy at times, but it is on the right track. In three weeks I should be able to train normally. It is according to the plans, I haven't needed to have more checks. Everything is going positive thus far. It is not particularly fun, but it is like that with injuries, you have got to accept them."
Elmander calms injury fears (19/10/2006)
Johan Elmander has reassured Toulouse that the injury he suffered in Saturday's league win is not serious.
The Swedish forward was involved in two of his side's goals in the 3-0 win over Valenciennes before being forced to limp off after just 34 minutes. Elmander sustained a hamstring injury but the 25-year-old insists his substitution was more a measure of caution than necessity. "I felt a beginning of a hamstring but there is no problem," Elmander told Sportbladet. "It was a safety measure, we were leading 3-0 and it was not worth taking any risks and aggravating the injury. The coach and I took the decision together. If it had been 0-0 I would not have gone off. I haven't had problems with my hamstring before, I think it's simply that I am tired after two tough internationals." News of Elmander's availability will be welcomed by Toulouse boss Elie Baup after the forward proved his worth by scoring in Sweden's win over Spain during the international break.
Sweden relish perfect start (12/10/2006)
With the best record of any team in UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying, Sweden are well placed to advance from a group packed with big names and improving teams. But the Scandinavian side are not getting carried away by their perfect start to Group F.
Four from four
Sweden came from behind to defeat Iceland 2-1 in Reykjavik last night to make it four wins out of four. The victory puts them five points clear of neighbours Denmark and Northern Ireland, and nine points ahead of Spain with just one game more played. Lars Lagerbäck's side fell behind to Arnar Vidarsson's excellent strike after six minutes only to respond with an even better goal of their own within two minutes. Kim Källström stepped up to expertly drill in a free-kick from fully 40 metres and almost repeated the trick in the second half before Christian Wilhelmsson scored the winner.
Going for goal
Olympique Lyonnais playmaker Källström said: "The balls we use are quite difficult to play with, but once you can hit a set-piece, they are quite comfortable. There was a lot of wind and rain, and the grass was wet, so I thought the best I could do was to hit it as hard as I could. I didn't have much to lose I thought." It was the prefect riposte for Källström after being omitted for the 2-0 win against Spain on Saturday. He said of being dropped: "It is forgotten. You always want to play and I thought I would play but another player was picked and it went well. Today I was picked and it went well. That's how football is - it turns around quickly."
Not over yet
Assistant coach Roland Andersson was also mindful that things can change in an instant in football, and was urging caution. "We have made a fantastic start but there are still eight matches to go and Spain will surely win all their matches at home," he said. "It is all going smoothly so far. We can play better than this but that is not important right now. It wasn't a quality match but we are proud and satisfied with the spirit we showed. But it is not over, far from it. There is a long way to go."
Lagerbäck pleased with start (12/10/2006)
Sweden coach Lars Lagerbäck is pleased with the perfect start his side have made to qualifying.
The Swedes have 12 points after their opening four games in Group F, including an impressive 2-0 win over Spain at the weekend. The most recent victory came against Iceland in Reykjavik where goals from Kim Källström and Christian Wilhelmsson kept up the 100 percent start. "It's really nice," Lagerbäck told Sportbladet. "We've got a good chance to make it now, we should be aiming to get close to 30 points."
Lagerbäck was pleased with the fighting spirit shown by his players in Iceland. "We've got a fantastic group of players," he continued. "When we have to play a fighting match, they go out and win on Iceland's turf. "I believe it is the character of the players that proves decisive." Sweden had to come from behind to claim the points against Iceland, with Källström blasting the visitors level with a free kick on eight minutes.
"It was wet in the grass, windy and the ball is a bit special, it was just there to hit it," Källström explained to Expressen.
"Most people might have thought that I would put in a cross."
Chippen says Yes to international caps! 20/09/2006
Chippen says yes to play for the national team once more!!!
Still unclear if Chippen is going to play more international caps! 12/09/2006
Swedish Headcoach Lars Lagerbäck is going to talk to Chippen about his future in the national team but its uncertain if he is going to get any answers:
-To answer these questions they need to be nominated first, says Mino Raiola player agent for both Zlatan and Chippen.
Mino Raiola also says that it's more important fro the players to concentrate on the club football att the moment and wait until they get a call!
So to all you Chippen fans, I hope Chippen will make the right discision!
Swedish trio sent home
Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg is one of three Swedish players who have been sent home after breaking a curfew during a night out. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Christian Wilhelmsson were the other offenders in staying out late on Sunday evening, as the rest of the squad prepared for a European Championship qualifier against Liechtenstein. The trio reported back to Sweden's hotel over two hours after the allocated curfew, in an action that has left coach Lars Lagerbäck no alternative but to send the players home. A statement from the Swedish FA has officially confirmed the reasons behind their decision to expel the guilty parties from Sweden's training camp in Gothenburg. "The national team have decided to send home three players, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Olof Mellberg and Christian Wilhelmsson, from the current training camp in Gothenburg," said the statement. "On Sunday the players were given some free time during the afternoon and evening, agreeing to meet again at the hotel at 23.00. "The majority of players returned in time but three players stayed out until around 1.15. "According to the team's management, the trio broke the agreed curfew and have therefore decided the three players will leave the national team in Gothenburg."
   
Lagerbäck names Sweden squad
Sweden coach Lars Lagerback has included four British-based players in his 20-man squad for games against Latvia and Liechtenstein next month. Aston Villa's Olof Mellberg and Rangers stopper Karl Svensson have both been selected in defence and the pair will be hoping to be handed the task of keeping the ball out of Manchester City new boy Andreas Isaksson's net. Arsenal's Freddie Ljungberg will captain the side that could also include the likes of Internationale's summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lyon midfielder Kim Källström. The Swedes open their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign against Latvia on September 2 before playing Liechtenstein in Gothenburg four days later. On announcing his squad, Lagerback admitted he was expecting a difficult opener against Latvia, who picked up four points from their two games against Sweden in qualifying for Euro 2004. "We will have a tough match next Saturday," Lagerbäck told Swedish soccer association's official website.
Squad in full:
Andreas Isaksson (Manchester City), Rami Shaaban (Fredrikstad FK); Petter Hansson (Heerenveen), Mikael Antonsson (Panathinaikos), Mikael Nilsson (Panathinaikos), Fredrik Stenman (Bayer Leverkusen), Karl Svensson (Rangers), Erik Edman (Rennes), Olof Mellberg (Aston Villa); Niclas Alexandersson (IFK Gothenburg), Daniel Andersson (Malmo), Kim Källström (Lyon), Tobias Linderoth (FC Copenhagen), Christian Wilhelmsson (Nantes), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg), Johan Elmander (Toulouse); Marcus Allbäck (FC Copenhagen), Markus Rosenberg (Ajax), Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter)
Germany roll over Swedes
Germany heaped more misery on Sweden following a 3-0 friendly win. This summer's World Cup hosts eliminated the Swedes from this summer's tournament and a superb first half display ensured Sweden did not exact revenge. The visitors were on the back foot early on at Arena Auf Schalke with Bernd Schneider netting after just four minutes. Miroslav Klose was in impressive form this summer and he showed he has lost none of his form by doubling their advantage just four minutes later. The Werder Bremen ace added his second shortly before the half-time interval to ensure a winning start for new coach Joachim Löw. Germany failed to add to their tally, however few of the home support will have gone home unhappy following a convincing victory.
     
Mellberg quits as skipper
Olof Mellberg has announced that he is stepping down as Sweden captain. The Aston Villa midfielder still intends to play on for his national team, but is ready to hand the captain's armband over to someone else. The 28-year-old explained that his decision had been influenced by his family commitments, as well as recent developments at Villa Park. "I've had a lot of things to do with Aston Villa, a new manager, and we've had an addition to the family," he told Expressen. Mellberg, who has 68 international caps to his name, also confirmed that he had notified Sweden coach Lars Lagerback. He is hoping to be included in Lagerback's squad to face Germany, who knocked Sweden out of the World Cup this summer, in a friendly on August 16.
Hansson wants out of Holland
Swedish international Petter Hansson believes he is being priced out of a move abroad by his club Heerenveen. The Dutch outfit have so far rebuffed six clubs pursuing the 29-year-old defender and Hansson is beginning to get frustrated.
He has just a year left on his deal at the Abe Lenstra Stadion, but the club have refused to cash in on their prize stopper and have rejected bids of up to €3 million (£2.05 million). "I want to try something new after four years in Holland," Hansson told Expressen. "But they are the ones who decide as I long as I am under contract." Hansson was part of the Blagula team which was knocked out of the World Cup by hosts Germany after qualifying as runners-up in Group B. He has been linked with a move to Greece with Panathinaikos, but is keen to move to France, Germany or England.
Levante give up on Mellberg
Levante claim they have been priced out of a move for Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg. The club are looking to make a splash in the Spanish top flight, having secured promotion last term, and they had identified Swedish defender Mellberg as a potential recruit. It is believed that Levante had reached an accord with Mellberg, but Villa have refused to shift in their valuation of the defender and the Spaniards will now explore other avenues. "The key to it all was money," said Levante sporting director Manuel Salvador. "The English club refused to accept our offer and it is now all over." Real Zaragoza's Brazilian stopper Alvaro is the man set to step in, with the 28-year-old poised to seal a move this week. "I am looking to achieve success in my three years at Levante," said Alvaro.
Isaksson interest confirmed
Andreas Isaksson's agent has confirmed Charlton are interested in his client. The Swedish international goalkeeper is rated amongst the best in Europe and after two years in France with Rennes he looks as if he could be ready to move on. Isaksson, who had a brief spell with Juventus earlier in his career, has been linked in recent weeks with the likes of Charlton, Manchester City and Portsmouth - and now The Adthingys' interest has been confirmed. "Charlton is one of the clubs interested in Andreas," confirmed agent Roger Ljung to Expressen. "Nothing will happen regarding Andreas the coming few days." Isaksson himself admitted he would love to play in England. "It would be a dream to play in the Premier League." Isaksson admitted to Sportbladet. "Of course, I would be interested. You grow up with the Premier League in Sweden. "I know there is interest, but that's all I know."
Linderoth looks to Turkey
Sweden's World Cup midfielder Tobias Linderoth has expressed his desire to join Turkish champions Galatasaray. The 27-year-old holding player has proved a reliable mainstay for De Blagula, and has attracted interest since the tournament in Germany. The ex-Everton man has been happy at FC Copenhagen for the past two seasons and has become captain at the club. But he could now leave the Danish champions in search of regular European football. "I haven't talked to any club, I want to be fair to FCK," Linderoth told Expressen. "Galatasaray is an exciting club and it is obvious that I would like to play for them if there is a possibility that the clubs could reach an agreement." Copenhagen meanwhile, are set to kick-off their UEFA Champions League qualifying campaign against MyPa-47 from Finland on July 26.
Lagerbäck to quit after EURO 2008
6 July 2006 by Reuters
Sweden coach Lars Lagerbäck said on Thursday he would step down after UEFA EURO 2008. "I think neither I nor the federation will want to continue (after 2008)," the 57-year-old told the local paper Sundsvalls Tidning. "I've already been involved for nine years and that's unusually long." Lagerbäck steered Sweden to the World Cup's second round but came under heavy media criticism after his side's lacklustre performance in the 2-0 loss to hosts Germany. He has guided Sweden to four consecutive international championships, the previous three in a coaching duo role with Tommy Soderberg who quit after EURO 2004. Sweden begin their qualifying campaign for the European Championship on 2 September when they face Latvia in an away match.
Swedes go out on a low
26 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
"We achieved two of three goals," reflected Sweden coach Lars Lagerbäck in the aftermath of his team’s FIFA World Cup™ exit. "For a country like Sweden to qualify for the finals and advance from the group stage, I think that is rather good." Lagerbäck's argument is not unreasonable. After all, Sweden – a country with a population of less than nine million – were competing at their fourth successive major tournament in Germany and, as at Korea/Japan 2002 and UEFA EURO 2004, they progressed to the knockout stages. Yet the disappointing manner of their elimination against Germany undoubtedly left a bitter aftertaste in many mouths. Sweden have not won a knockout match in any major tournament since their semi-final run at USA 94 but unlike previous narrow second-round defeats, they simply did not get started in Munich, falling two goals behind inside 12 minutes. "We were far too passive at the start, we were second to every ball," lamented Lagerbäck. It was not the first time they had started poorly – against England, they were outplayed in the first period and went into the interval trailing 1-0 – but unlike then they simply could not raise themselves to even hint at a comeback against the hosts. The consequence of this limp exit was a wave of speculation about Lagerbäck's future as Sweden coach. Newspaper polls the day after the Germany defeat called for him to go but the coach responded: "I have a contract until 2008 and have not had any other thoughts." Questions have also been asked about the futures of some of the squad's older players. Veteran defender Teddy Lucic has hinted that, at 33, he might have played his last game for Sweden. Given he turns 35 in September, it is also possible we may have seen Henrik Larsson's final appearance at a major tournament. "An epic ends" was the headline of one story on Larsson in the popular Aftonbladet newspaper in the aftermath of the Germany defeat, although the striker himself, who came out of international retirement for EURO 2004, has previously insisted he will continue to play for his country for as long as his services are required. Larsson scored his 36th goal for Sweden to salvage a point in the 2-2 draw with England. In the process became only the fourth player in FIFA World Cup history to have scored in separate tournaments 12 years apart, alongside Pele, Uwe Seeler and Sami Al Jaber. (In the same game Marcus Allback created his own piece of history by heading the FIFA World Cup's 2,000th goal.) Otherwise, Larsson and strike partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic failed to find the net in Germany. With Ibrahimovic struggling for form and fitness, and Larsson missing a penalty against the Germans, it was a disappointing campaign overall for the Swedes' famous front pair. With their two main strikers misfiring, goals did not come easily for a Swedish squad lacking the flair players other countries can call on. The goalless draw with Trinidad and Tobago in their opening game was a case in point and they also did things the hard way in their two remaining Group B fixtures. It took an 88th-minute header from Freddie Ljungberg – one of their more impressive performers in Germany – to break the deadlock against Paraguay in their second outing and against England they were overrun in the first half before battling back after the break. Sweden's typically impressive fitness meant they finished games strongly and the second 45 minutes of the England match in Cologne were the best we saw of Lagerback's side. Tobias Linderoth and Kim Kallstrom wreaked havoc in the England defence with their dead-ball deliveries and that display not only preserved a 38-year unbeaten record against the English but also ensured they entered the Germany game quietly confident. If that confidence was soon shredded, the defeat in Munich did provide one positive: the excellence of Andreas Isaksson between the posts. The Rennes-based goalkeeper made some superb saves to keep the score down and the 24-year-old's efforts lent weight to former Sweden keeper Thomas Ravelli's pre-finals prediction that "in a couple of years, he will be considered as being one of the world’s best goalkeepers". At the other end of the age scale, Niclas Alexandersson, ten years Isaksson’s senior, earned positive reports for his efforts in an unfamiliar right-back role. Alexandersson, like certain others, is unlikely to grace another major tournament. But it seems fairly certain the steady Swedes will be back before too long.
Lagerbäck won't walk away
25 June 2006 by Reuters (www.fifaworldcup.yahoo.com)
Sweden coach Lars Lagerback said on Sunday he would not quit after his team's FIFA World Cup™ exit and said media expectations back home had been too high.
Lagerback said he had a contract until 2008 and, as he had never broken a binding agreement before, added he not even given a thought towards stepping down. Sweden finished second in Group B but were eliminated 2-0 on Saturday by Germany in Munich. "I haven't thought about it at all," Lagerback said when asked about criticism in Sweden blaming him for the exit. "I have a contract until 2008 and have not had any other thoughts." Lagerback told a news conference at the Sweden training base in Bremen before flying home that Sweden accomplished two of their three aims - qualifying for World Cup and advancing from the group stage - even if they failed to move on from there. "We achieved two of three goals. That's a pretty good result. The expectations among people in the media are quite high. If we have a good day, we could beat any team." Several Swedish newspapers published snap opinion polls saying some 70 percent believe Lagerback should go. He was blamed for a strategy that allowed to Germany score two goals in the first 12 minutes. Many Swedes were also enraged when he said his team played well after their 0-0 Group B draw against Trinidad & Tobago. "It's difficult to know how representative these opinion polls are," Lagerback said, calmly fending off more a dozen questions about his future. "We in the coaching staff don't have the same expectations as in the media. "As a coach I say you need to be realistically optimistic. For a country like Sweden to qualify for the finals and advance from the group stage I think that is rather good." Lagerback, who expressed hope his key veterans such as Henrik Larsson and Freddie Ljungberg would stay on for Euro 2008, said he would go if the players demanded it. "The only way I would take the initiative and resign would be if the players did not have confidence in me," he said. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has already made clear how they felt. "He has to stay on," said the striker. "He's done a fantastic job when you consider we're a country of nine million. It's anything but automatic that Sweden make it to the last 16."
GERMANY-SWEDEN: Players' Quotes
24 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
Olof MELLBERG (SWE)
We didn't make a very good start and we had problems finding a way back after falling behind so early. We were as bad in the first half as we were against England. We weren't expecting the Germans to be so strong right at the start. We had a chance or two in the second half, so it's far from impossible to score against Germany. They don't play like a typical German side.
Zlatan IBRAHIMOVIC (SWE)
I'm not that disappointed because Germany were the better team today. The early goals really did for us. It was tough trying to turn that around. I was pretty tired but I gave it my best shot. I'll definitely continue playing for the national team.
Henrik LARSSON (SWE)
The penalty was a nightmare, it all went horribly wrong. I was aiming for the opposite corner. It's a long, long time since I missed a penalty. I don't care if one or two people try to blame me for our defeat. That's football. You can't get upset about refereeing decisions. You have to make it count out on the pitch.
Freddie LJUNGBERG (SWE)
I'm pretty frustrated about getting knocked out. We played far too deep this afternoon.
Erik EDMAN (SWE)
The Germans started well. We were too passive, and the result was we were two down early on. We let them pen us back in our own half. The sending-off made it very difficult for us, we had to run that much harder.
Niclas ALEXANDERSSON (SWE)
We gave it everything, but Germany were the better team today. They were quick and precise. It was certainly very impressive.
GERMANY-SWEDEN: Coaches' Quotes
24 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
Lars LAGERBÄCK (SWE)
Congratulations to Germany and let me wish them success in the rest of the tournament. They were really very good today. We were far too passive at the start, we were second to every ball, and we conceded two early goals. We lost to a combination of bad luck, a good German team and the early goals. It's difficult enough against Germany with 11 men, and even more difficult when you're down to ten. But in the period after we fell behind, I think we showed we have the ability to match Germany. I'm not sure we made the most of our potential up front. I brought on Marcus Allback for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, because I felt we needed fresh impetus. I didn't feel the need for any other solution. I thought the second yellow for Teddy Lucic was harsh, but overall I think the referees have done well at this tournament. It'll take a strong and well-prepared team to knock Germany out of the competition.
GERMANY 2-0 SWEDEN
24 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
Germany advanced to the FIFA World Cup™ quarter-finals after two early goals from Lukas Podolski secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Sweden on Saturday, 24 June 2006. Jürgen Klinsmann's team did not look back once Podolski had fired them in front in the fourth minute and after the same player doubled their lead eight minutes later, only the excellence of Sweden goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson denied Germany further goals. Sweden lost defender Teddy Lucic to a second yellow card after 35 minutes and their faint hopes of a comeback all but evaporated when Henrik Larsson blazed a penalty over the crossbar eight minutes into the second half. Germany can now look forward to a quarter-final tie in Berlin next Friday against the winners of the Argentina-Mexico game.
The match:
4': Germany were given the perfect start. Miroslav Klose turned cleverly between two defenders inside the box and although goalkeeper Isaksson blocked the initial effort, Podolski followed up to shoot home. 6': Fired up by the goal, Podolski sent a 25-yard strike inches over as the hosts went for an early kill. 8': In a frantic opening Sweden almost got back on level terms. Larsson turned his man on the edge of the area but could only find the side-netting with his shot. 12': The Swedes were made to pay for that miss. Klose ran across the edge of the box and played a subtle return pass right into the stride of Podolski, who steered his shot home, left-footed, for his second goal of the match. 18: Germany were looking dangerous with every attack. From another, Michael Ballack sent a 25-yard strike arrowing into the corner and Isaksson flung himself across goal to parry away. 31': The shots were raining down on Isaksson's goal and the keeper produced a magnificent save to tip a Klose poke around the post after the Werder Bremen striker had again produced a feint to trick his marker. 33': Torsten Frings, who had scored a wonderful goal in the opening match, had a 35-yarder tipped over. Seconds later, Isaksson was again throwing himself across goal as a cracking drive from Bastian Schweinsteiger whistled past his post. 35': Sweden's cause was weakened further when Lucic was received his second yellow card after grabbing hold of the elusive Klose. 40': Jens Lehmann was finally given work to do, turning Ibrahimovic's shot around the post. 43': The Arsenal keeper was then happy to see Philipp Lahm clear the ball after he had collided with Mattias Jonson inside the box. The action soon switched back to the other end, however, where Isaksson was forced to turn Klose's 20-yard shot around the post.
Paying the penalty:
53' Sweden were presented with a glorious opportunity to reduce the arrears when Larsson was fouled in the box after good work down the left from Ibrahimovic. However, the veteran striker sent the penalty high over the bar.
55': Only a fantastic flying save from Isaksson prevented Germany from going three further ahead shortly afterwards. Ballack was again the player involved, buying himself a shooting position with a neat turn before sending a 25-yarder hurtling towards the corner. 72': Down a man, Sweden were trying everything to get back into the match - but without success. Ballack saw another shot from distance just clear the bar. 81': Desperate for a goal, the Chelsea-bound midfielder was left shaking his head again after the outstanding Isaksson saved a 20-yard piledriver with Klose heading the rebound over. 84': Still Germany kept coming. A fine three-man move ended with Bernd Schneider's shot being deflected onto the post. Next to test Isaksson's skills was substitute Oliver Neuville with a snapshot from inside the area minutes later.
In conclusion:
Helped by a lightning start, the hosts produced a magnificent display of attacking football to brush past a disappointing Sweden team. After conceding those early goals to Podolski, the Scandinavians' cause was not helped by a first-half sending off and Larsson's missed penalty and the two-goal margin could have been greater.
Hosts hold no fears for Sweden
24 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
The prospect of facing hosts Germany in the Round of 16 holds no fears for Sweden. Germany won all three matches in the group stage but the mood in the Swedish camp is one of quiet confidence after an impressive performance against England, when they fought back twice to draw 2-2 in their final Group B game last Tuesday. "It's a little advantage for the German team to be playing at home but the players can handle it," said Lagerback. "We have to leave the spectators aside and concentrate on our own match. If we play as we did against England then I will be satisfied. I can't see any German weak links but my team is looking good." Lagerbäck has striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic available again after he missed the England match with a groin injury he sustained in the 1-0 win against Paraguay. Despite his absence, the Swedes put the England goal under considerable pressure in the second half in Cologne and the feeling within the squad is that after holding their own with England, there is nothing to fear about Germany. Sweden have not beaten Germany since winning 5-3 in a friendly in Berlin in 1988. They lost the teams' last meeting 3-2 in the semi-final of the 1992 UEFA European Championship on home soil in Stockholm. Now the boot is on the other foot although the Swedes are expected to have the backing of a sizeable travelling support among the 66,000 crowd in the FIFA World Cup Stadium, Munich. It is expected there will be as many as 15,000 Swedes in attendance.
Swedes apply the science
24 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
Few footballing nations have a better reputation for maximising their resources than Sweden. The Scandinavians are competing at their 11th FIFA World Cup™ and once again their qualities of good organisation and team work have helped take their largely unsung squad into the knockout stage. As the Swedes prepare to face hosts Germany in the Round of 16, FIFAworldcup.com spoke to the team’s physiologist Paul Balsom to learn about the science behind their success. An Englishman, Balsom is a sports scientist who describes his role as a combination of “fitness, match analysis and coaching”. Get the lowdown on Germany v Sweden
Here he gives an insight into the methods the Swedes employ to try and gain an edge on their rivals:
"I’ve worked with the Sweden manager Lars Lagerback for eight years and we use technology to reinforce the way we train and play football. It's not always easy for scientists to apply science to the day-in day-out of football but I’m not coming in and trying to radically change things, I just try to support what the coach is doing.
Analysis
For the first time at a major tournament, I’ve been able to film our games from high up in the television gantry and when I film it goes straight into the computer. Afterwards I sit down with the coaches, get feedback and then line up video footage to reinforce what they want to say to the players in the next meeting. It is the same with reports on the opposition - we match everything in the scouting report with examples from the game. We make this information available to the players on DVDs so they can watch a particular player or a game the opposition were playing. Some players won’t touch a DVD, some will want to before every game but it doesn’t mean one is better than the other. They get this information already on the training ground, in team meetings – the technology is just used to reinforce some key points. We have on average two team meetings every three days, which last between 30 and 40 minutes. One thing we talked about before the England game was set-pieces. That is something that came up in my analysis - during the Paraguay game these were not as productive as we’d have liked - so we spent time on the field and during the team meetings and it is nice when something we work on pays dividends.
Fitness
I use the technology we have to monitor the players in training and help the coaches get the intensity of each session right. I sit down with the coach and see how intense he wants a session to be and we’ll refine the tactical drills accordingly. The players wear heart-rate belts in every session – it is very difficult to monitor the intensity of one player during a session, let alone 23, but with the belts their heart-rate data is beamed across into my computer as they train. Taking it one step further we also use the Global Positioning System – we have the possibility to attach a GPS unit to a player’s back and we can monitor every step he takes, the distance he covers in training, all the different speeds – his walking, his running, his jogging, his sprinting. You don’t want a player running at a constant pace throughout training, you want short sustained bursts of high intensity exercise. If I see one player who is doing something drastically different from what we want him to do, then I will speak to that player. If it is several players then it is more than likely a problem with the training session and I mention that to the coach.
Tactics
The fact we scored late against Paraguay and England suggests we are getting our preparations right. Finishing a game strongly is a combination of tactics and fitness – it is about dividing high intensity work between the team as much as we can. For example when defending, if a player makes a short 10-15 metre run to put pressure on an opponent with the ball, once the ball has been passed he should then drop back and the next player makes the next high-speed run to pressure the ball and so on. Of course, you don’t stop a run halfway because your fitness coach has told you to save energy but if the players can get an understanding what is going on with their bodies, you can make them aware of the relationship between fitness and tactics. It is easy with Scandinavian players because they are very interested in things like this.
The basics
At a major tournament, you have to make sure you get the basics right before anything else – recovery between matches, sleeping, eating right. Players can lose up to four or five litres of fluids during a game in extreme circumstances and we make sure we get our drinking right not just during but before and between games. The players drink a minimum amount in water and two different sports drinks to get their energy levels back. We allow them to drink coffee but make sure it is supplemented by a glass of water. We weigh them every day and keep a check on the colour of their urine. We use ice baths and massage and cold towels in the changing rooms. We learned a lot about the heat in Japan four years ago. We were unhappy with the temperature of the changing room in Berlin, for example, which was 30 degrees during the game against Paraguay. On paper we may not be seen as an especially strong side - the Swedish league is ranked 23rd in Europe and we had four Swedish-based players in the England game - but we do have a fantastic team spirit and the ability to get it right in our preparations and to work hard as a team."
Germany work on set-pieces for Sweden clash
22 June 2006 by Reuters (www.fifaworldcup.yahoo.com)
Germany's set-pieces have not been good enough at the FIFA World Cup™ and must improve against Sweden, assistant coach Joachim Low said on Thursday. Germany have scored eight goals in three matches at the FIFA World Cup but none of them have come from headers direct from corners and free-kicks - an area where Germany expect to excel. Sweden scored both their goals in the 2-2 draw with England from set plays and Loew wants to see an improvement in defence and attack when they meet in the last 16 in Munich on Saturday. "Of course Sweden can be a danger on set pieces," Low said at a news conference. "They have very sharp forwards who can be very precise. "We'll study the variants they use, talk to the players and assign marking duties. We'll also have to make sure we don't gave away free kicks in dangerous situations." Loew programmed a series of set-piece moves for a training session that was partly closed on Thursday. "But we have very good headers of the ball as well, like Michael Ballack and Torsten Frings. It's true we should have done more from set pieces in this tournament. We want to benefit from that side of the game on Saturday."
Sweden hope Germans will crack under pressure
21 June 2006 by Reuters
Sweden hope the pressure of being FIFA World Cup™ hosts will get to Germany when the two nations meet on Saturday in the second round, coach Lars Lagerback said on Wednesday.
Germany won all three of their group matches, sparking what coach Juergen Klinsmann called "World Cup fever" as fans across the country started to believe their team could win the trophy for a fourth time. "It could be tough to play at home and have all these expectations," Swedish coach Lagerback told reporters the day after his team drew 2-2 with England to take second spot in Group B and set up the game against Germany in Munich. "Of course there will be some kind of pressure on the German team ... It could be a benefit (for Sweden)." Striker Henrik Larsson, who scored a last-minute equaliser against England, said the players had plenty of club experience of playing in stadiums where most of the crowd was against them and knew what to expect. "You know there's not a lot of people liking you," he said. "Obviously we're going to face that again. Midfielder Niclas Alexandersson said Sweden would battle hard right to the end. Late goals in their group matches secured them a 1-0 win over Paraguay and the draw with England. "We've got a very good attitude in the team and we will keep on fighting to the last minute and I think that's a strength for us and something we can take with us to the game on Saturday," he told reporters. As for Germany's strength, that was clear enough. "Their strength is they have 11 good players," said defender Teddy Lucic.
SWEDEN-ENGLAND: Players' Quotes
20 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
Freddie LJUNGBERG (SWE)
At half-time, Lars Lagerback said we should control the ball more so that's what we tried to do and it worked pretty well. Today, we scored with just a few chances while in the other games we had plenty and only scored once, so we're improving our strike-rate. With a bit more luck, we could easily have won the game. I think Germany will be a tough opponent - (Jens) Lehmann is an exceptionally good keeper. The Germans are a tall, strong side but to be honest I haven't checked out many of their games so far. It will be a special match and a bit sad that we have to play them so early in the tournament.
Henrik LARSSON (SWE)
I'm happy about the result and the comeback. It's a good sign and will increase our morale. The last minutes of a game are very important for self-confidence. We scored from aerial positions which is normally England's strong point. I scored a goal today because I was wearing my golden boots. I don't want to think too much about the Germany game just yet. It's important to just enjoy our result. We have a good team and a good captain so I don't fear any opponent – not even the hosts.
Marcus ALLBACK (SWE)
I'm really happy to have scored at a World Cup and that Henrik Larsson also got a goal. It was hard without Zlatan Ibrahimovic but we did what we could. I hope Zlatan will be back soon. It's a pity we didn't win the group because I think it would have been better to play Ecuador rather than Germany.
Kim KALLSTROM (SWE)
We really wanted to beat England but I think it was an exciting game. It was not easy out there but performing in such matches makes you a better player. Germany will be tough but I know a lot of Swedish people have tickets so we should get plenty of support. We’re in good form and in football anything can happen.
Olof MELLBERG (SWE)
I'd have rather played against Ecuador but the best team won the group so we have to settle for that. We have to keep up the form of the second half if we are to go far.
SWEDEN-ENGLAND: Coaches' quotes
20 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
Lars LAGERBACK (SWE)
I made a couple of changes for this match – I brought in Marcus Allback for Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) and I wanted Mattias Jonson for his aerial threat from set-pieces. We were concerned that if Zlatan’s injury worsened he could be out for the tournament. We have had positive developments with Zlatan’s injury but I can’t say whether he’ll be fit for the Germany game yet. It’s early to think about Germany, but although they conceded two goals against Costa Rica they have a solid defence and a good attack. It will be a really tough game for us. We practised set-pieces a little bit more and I was pleased we could score two goals from them. We had problems in the first half, England played well, but we were too ambitious. We lost too many one v ones. At half-time I told them to be a bit more cool. I felt we were the better team in the second half, England were in the first. I wasn’t surprised that we put them under pressure towards the end. This has happened so often that I’m not surprised by my players’ character.
SWEDEN 2-2 ENGLAND
20 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
England and Sweden drew 2-2 in Cologne on Tuesday, 20 June 2006 - a result that sends both teams through to the Round of 16 from Group B. England's prize for topping the section is to play Ecuador in Stuttgart on 25 June, while Sweden must take on hosts Germany in Munich 24 hours earlier. Sven-Goran Eriksson's team had already secured qualification before this match and they were only denied a third successive win by a 90th-minute Henrik Larsson goal. England had gone in front on 34 minutes through a spectacular strike from Joe Cole. Marcus Allback headed the Swedes level at 1-1 six minutes into the second half but substitute Steven Gerrard restored England's advantage when he headed in their second on 81 minutes.
The match:
2': England suffered a terrible early blow when Michael Owen collapsed in agony close to the touchline after his right knee buckled under him. The injury was so serious that team physio Gary Lewin immediately signalled for a substitution. Peter Crouch, one booking away from a suspension, came on two minutes later as Owen left the scene on a stretcher. 3': Frank Lampard, who has had more shots than any other player at the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ so far, set his sights from 20 metres though the effort went wide. 7': Lampard had another go at goal, but it was straight at Sweden keeper Andreas Isaksson. 12': Wayne Rooney’s determined run and cross was met, yet again, by the ubiquitous Lampard, but his attempted header came off his shoulder and passed harmlessly wide. 21': After surviving a period of pressure and a succession of Swedish corners, England went forward again and Joe Cole went close with a shot just over Isaksson's crossbar. 25': David Beckham released the bustling Rooney but his shot was expertly blocked by Teddy Lucic. 29': Beckham's inswinging free-kick from near the touchline was punched out for a corner by Isaksson. 34': England went ahead through an absolutely fantastic goal by Joe Cole. He chested the ball before sending a looping, textbook volley in off the top of the post from 25 metres out, with Isaksson only managing to get his fingertips to it. (0-1)
40': Lampard had Isaksson scrambling from the same sort of range as Joe Cole, but the ball skimmed the top of the net on its way out for a goal-kick. Landmark goal 51': Freddie Ljungberg made a positive run into England's penalty area and his shot was blocked by John Terry, who turned it behind. From the resulting corner on the left by Tobias Linderoth, Allback rose high and flicked a header past Robinson, with Ashley Cole failing to keep it out on the line. Sweden had scored the 2,000th goal in FIFA World Cup history (1-1) 54': From a corner on the opposite flank, Larsson rattled England and their crossbar with an instinctive header that Robinson did well to tip onto the woodwork after it deflected off Jamie Carragher. 59': Sweden, playing much better than in the first half, once again had England rocking from a corner. Linderoth delivered it and Larsson headed the ball back for Olof Mellberg who clipped the top of the bar with his right-footed attempt from near the penalty spot. 69': Gerrard, who came on for an obviously frustrated Rooney in England's final substitution of the night, had to hack the ball off the line from Kallstrom's measured left-footed shot as another Swedish corner caused England headaches at the back. 85': England went in front again when Joe Cole crossed for Gerrard, who scored his second goal at Germany 2006, this time with a decisive header. (1-2) 90': Sweden hit back to claim a late draw as Larsson stabbed in from close range just ahead of Mellberg from a low throw-in that England's defenders failed to deal with. (2-2) In conclusion: England have still not beaten Sweden since 1968 but, as group winners, they will be happier to be facing Ecuador and not Germany in the Round of 16. Sweden's performance in the second half here, however, should give them confidence ahead of their meeting with the hosts.
Allback scores 2,000th goal
20 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
A significant FIFA World Cup™ milestone was reached this evening when Sweden’s Marcus Allback headed home the tournament’s 2,000th goal in his team’s 2-2 draw with England. It is now almost 76 years since Frenchman Lucien Laurent fired the first goal of the beautiful game’s greatest tournament in Montevideo on 13 July 1930, and in the years since we have all witnessed some magnificent, truly unforgettable goals en route to the reaching of new goalscoring landmarks. In scoring goal number 2,000, Allback certainly succeeded in joining an exclusive club, one that also numbers among its members the illustrious likes of Angelo Schiavio (ITA, 100th in 1934), Gerd Muller (FRG, 800th in 1970), Gary Lineker (ENG, 1,300th in 1986) and Christian Vieri (Italy, 1,900th in 2002).
Lagerback: We'll keep up the run
19 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
Sweden are determined to hold on to their 38-year undefeated record against England whatever the result in the Germany-Ecuador match coach, Lars Lagerback told reporters on Monday.
The winners and runners-up from Group B will know their second round opponents – the hosts or the South Americans - ahead of kick off, but Sweden’s coach denies it will affect his game plan. “That result won’t affect us. We’ll go out there to win which will give us an extra day of rest,” said Lagerback who sat on the bench alongside Tommy Soderberg four years ago when the teams played out a 1-1 draw in the group stage in Japan. “It’s important to at least get a draw. If we win, then thank you very much.” The 57-year-old, whose country has not lost to England in 11 matches since 1968, said he had no obvious explanation for the run. “My theory is we’ve always had a lot of players playing in England so they know the mentality of the game there,” he said. “That could again play to our advantage. This squad has a lot of character. When we play against big nations, we’re always in the match. I’m positive about tomorrow as we always play with confidence against England.” Sweden are two points behind group leaders England and three above the third-place team Trinidad and Tobago. A draw would guarantee qualification to the next phase and a win would secure top spot. But if Germany draw or lose against Ecuador, then victory would bring the daunting prospect of a last 16 confrontation against the home nation.
Midfielder Kim Kallstrom, influential in the 1-0 defeat of Paraguay, said he would not go out his way to discover the result: “We must focus on our game. We’ll go for the win and then see who we face. We’ve not qualified yet.”
The Scandinavians one injury doubt is their star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Markus Allback waiting in the wings. “He is the only question mark. Let’s wait until tomorrow,” added Lagerback giving nothing away. “Zlatan can do things that few other forwards are capable of. Allback’s strength lies with his ability to link up with the midfield and being a clinical finisher.”
Teaming up
As has become the norm since the England forward’s injury more than a month ago, the possible return of Rooney dominated discussion. “He is a great player,” said Sweden captain Olof Mellberg. “If he has a good game, it’s difficult to stop him. But we haven’t talked about that much. We’ll face England as a team rather than individuals and we’ll focus on our own game. “We have to stop them using the wings and having too much time on the ball. We know it’s part of their game.” The Aston Villa defender admitted playing against 6ft 7in (2m) tall Peter Crouch would be a different proposition.
“I think they play more long balls if Crouch is on the pitch,” he added. “If it’s Rooney and Owen, they’ll be more of a threat on the ground.” Lagerback agreed: “Rooney is world class. Every team would like to have him. If he plays instead of Crouch, we can expect a different approach.” With expectations high ahead of the tournament, the England and Sweden media have not exactly been complimentary of their teams’ performances so far. Lagerback believes the criticism unfair. “There is not a big difference between England, Sweden and Paraguay,” he reasoned. “I think we’ve done well in our games and the only thing I’m dissatisfied about is not taking our goalscoring chances. “England are very solid – they don’t give much away. They know what the business is all about, let’s say. It’s tough to judge what is good football and premature to predict how well they will do. You have to win matches. We’re expecting a tight game.” Sweden meet England in Cologne on 20 June in their third and final group game.
Swedes confident, says Alexandersson
19 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
Niclas Alexandersson holds fond memories of the last time Sweden met England on the world stage. The setting was Saitama, Japan and Sweden were trailing in their opening game of the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ to Sol Campbell’s first-half header. With 59 minutes on the clock, however, the ball landed at his feet from Danny Mills’ rash clearance, and from well outside the penalty box he returned it with interest. His fierce drive left David Seaman for dead and suddenly the Swedes found their spark, as they proceeded to progress from a tough group that also included Argentina and Nigeria before succumbing to Senegal in the Round of 16. “Of course, it’s a big memory for me,” Alexandersson told FIFAworldcup.com. “It was my first ever World Cup game. England dominated the first half but after my goal we came back and took over and could have won the game. It was a nice feeling to get the goal. It felt like a turning point.” After that 1-1 draw, Sweden got the better of England by topping the group on goals scored. They will need to beat compatriot Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side in Cologne on Tuesday if they are to repeat the feat, although a draw would also guarantee their place in the Round of 16 as Group B runners-up. According to Alexandersson, however, facing England today represents a tougher assignment than it did four years ago. Sweden may be “more experienced” but Eriksson’s team has become “a lot more solid, especially in midfield”. He continued: “They look much stronger now with two players, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, who come through and score goals as well.” England’s starting lineup is also expected to include a player Alexandersson knows only too well, Wayne Rooney. A former Everton player, Alexandersson replaced a tiring Rooney on the then 16-year-old’s senior debut and witnessed the youngster’s emergence at first hand. “You could tell that he was an exceptional talent,” said Alexandersson, now playing back in Sweden with IFK Gothenburg. “I’ve never seen a 16-year-old come into a big club and do so well straight away. For me the only question was whether he could handle the pressure that came with it but he seems to have handled that very well and become a better player with every year.” For all England’s star names, the Swedes will certainly not be daunted by opponents they have not lost to since 1968. Asked to explain this remarkable 11-match run, Alexandersson said: “It’s hard to put your finger on why that is but we always feel like the underdog going into the game.
“It doesn’t matter how well we’ve done before. We know the England players in Sweden, they show a lot of English football on TV and everyone expects it to be a very hard game. Because of that we’ve raised our game a bit.” “We know this is a new game, though. The record won’t help, but we’re certainly more confident after beating Paraguay and we will be looking to get the point we need to go through. After the first game against Trinidad and Tobago (a 0-0 draw), the mood was a little bit down but the win against Paraguay was a big boost for the whole team.” Sweden beat Paraguay only through Freddie Ljungberg’s solitary late strike and this after the stalemate with T&T. Despite their struggles to score, Alexandersson says they are “creating chances” and points to another positive: “We have not conceded a goal yet and as long as you don’t concede goals, then you have a chance.” Curiously for those who remember Alexandersson’s days patrolling the right wing in English football – and for fans of IFK too – his pride in the Swedes’ defensive record befits his new role as a full-back in the team. The 34-year-old admitted it took some getting used to: “It’s only with the national team that I play right-back and for the first few games I didn’t feel I had the experience, but with every game I’ve felt it’s getting better and better.” Whether it keeps him out of shooting range of the England goal remains to be seen.
Ibrahimovic likely to miss England game
17 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
Sweden are likely to be without striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for their final Group B match against England. The Juventus player injured his groin in the 1-0 win against Paraguay on Thursday, when he did not reappear for the second half.
A scan has revealed that Ibrahimovic suffered a small tear to a muscle in his groin and Sweden team press officer Thomas Salateg said on Saturday: “The prognosis is that he is unlikely to be fit for England.” Sweden sit second in Group B and given their three-point lead over Trinidad and Tobago, are confident of following England into the last 16. Should they progress, Salateg added that the Swedes were hopeful Ibrahimovic would be available for a second-round tie against either Ecuador or Germany. “He’s feeling a lot better today and he’s started his rehabilitation exercises,” he said. For Tuesday’s game against England, Marcus Allback, who replaced Ibrahimovic against Paraguay, appears a strong candidate to partner Henrik Larsson.
Mellberg wary of 'best ever' England
16 June 2006 by FIFAworldcup.com
Sweden captain Olof Mellberg was once neatly summed up by team-mate Mattias Jonsson as "a player who goes in 100 per cent, all the time, for every second of the match".
It was a perfect portrayal of a centre-half once described as "the complete player" by his national coach, Lars Lagerback, and the never-say-die spirit to which Jonsson refers was never more crucial to the Swedish cause than in the dying minutes of Thursday's match with Paraguay at Berlin's Olympiastadion. With the seconds ticking down towards a potentially costly goalless draw and Lagerback's side seemingly running out of ideas, Mellberg's booming words of encouragement for his colleagues turned into a roar of delight as Freddie Ljungberg popped up to head an unlikely late winner. Sweden, like their skipper, had continued to give everything, right until the very last seconds of the match and, barring a combination of defeat by England and a convincing win for Trinidad and Tobago against Paraguay, their reward will be a place in the round of 16.
Sweden cannot afford defeat by England - Ljungberg
16 June 2006 by Reuters (www.fifaworldcup.yahoo.com)
Sweden cannot afford to lose to England even if such a result means avoiding hosts Germany in the knockout stage, midfielder Freddie Ljungberg said on Friday. Sweden are second in Group B with four points behind leaders England, who have six, ahead of Tuesday's clash in Cologne. England are already through to the second round and need only a draw to finish top while Sweden will also qualify with a point. Ljungberg, who scored the winner in the 1-0 victory over Paraguay on Thursday, said the possibility England might not be eager to win the group if Germany finish second to Ecuador in Group A could give Sweden a subtle advantage. "England have already qualified so maybe they will be thinking about Ecuador or about who they might want to meet (in the last 16)," Ljungberg told a news conference. "We're going to be thinking about qualifying." If Sweden lose then Trinidad and Tobago, who have one point from a goalless draw with the Scandinavians, could sneak through on goal difference if they beat Paraguay by enough goals. Coach Lars Lagerback also stressed Sweden could not afford to look at the score of the Germany-Ecuador match to be played earlier on Tuesday or Trinidad's game with Paraguay, which will take place at the same time as the Sweden-England game. "The most important thing is to get at least one point," Lagerback said, declining to talk about who they would like to play in the next round. "I don't want to speculate on that now." In Group A, Ecuador and Germany have six points but the hosts need to win to top the section while the South Americans, who have a better goal difference, need only a draw to come first. To avoid facing a second-placed Germany on their home pitch, England and Sweden might prefer to finish second rather than win their group. However, Ljungberg said Sweden had to play to win. "Some people have talked about the Swedish hockey team," Ljungberg said, referring to a controversial 3-0 defeat by Slovakia at the Olympics that set up an easier quarter-final against Switzerland on their way to winning the gold medal. "But we can't do that because we haven't qualified yet," he said. "We haven't qualified 100 per cent. "It'd be difficult for us (to try to avoid Germany). We'll just go all out and try to win it." Ljungberg, who knows England players Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole and Theo Walcott from his club side Arsenal, has been talking for weeks about the match as being "massive". Sweden finished above England four years ago and Ljungberg has said he and his club mates have been relishing the chance for a rematch since they were paired in the draw in December.
Swedish newspapers hail 'Fredrik the Great'
16 June 2006 by Reuters (www.fifaworldcup.yahoo.com)
Pictures of an ecstatic Freddie Ljungberg dominated Friday's front pages of Swedish newspapers after he scored the winning goal in Sweden's FIFA World Cup™ Group B victory over Paraguay on Thursday. With a banner headlines of "Thanks Freddie" and "Fredrik The Great", tabloid Aftonbladet lauded the midfielder whose last-minute header left Sweden close to the second round and eased much anguish after they drew 0-0 with Trinidad and Tobago. The headlines of newspapers Svenska Dagbladet and Expressen both read "Finally" in celebration of the fact that Sweden, who had only scored two goals in six matches going into the game, had improved their scoring record. Daily Dagens Nyheters' front page sported the headline "Lovely Ljungberg" while its sports section focused on the nerve-wracking wait for Sweden to score in the key game, carrying the headline "Good Lord". "I want to kiss his (Ljungberg's) feet which never stop and his forehead which was there as the angst was bringing down the entire nation in cramps of anguish," the newspaper's columnist Johan Esk wrote. Sweden could still be knocked out of the tournament on goal difference if they heavily lose their last game with England on Tuesday and Trinidad and Tobago beat Paraguay on the same day.
Sweden deny bust-up claims
12 June 2006 by Reuters (www.fifaworldcup.yahoo.com)
Sweden have strongly denied media reports on Monday that suggested a rift within their camp ahead of their crucial Group B game against Paraguay on Thursday.
The Swedish media reported that a bust-up took place between skipper Olof Mellberg and midfielder Freddie Ljungberg in the dressing room after 10-man Trinidad and Tobago held them to a surprise scoreless draw on Saturday. It was also alleged that coach Lars Lagerback and his assistant, Roland Andersson, disagreed over the timing of the substitutions during the game. "There are no problems in our camp, none at all. It's just you guys trying to find something wrong," Lagerback told reporters on Monday. Ljungberg confirmed that the players had a "discussion" after the game, but that it was "normal". "We are very passionate and want Sweden to do our best. We didn't win and we just discussed how we can do better next time," the Arsenal player said. "There was no fight and I have great respect for Olof. He is a great captain." Mellberg and Ljungberg fought during a training session ahead of the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan after a rough tackle on Ljungberg by Mellberg.
Total recall for Sweden's memory-loss keeper
11 June 2006 by AFP (www.fifaworldcup.yahoo.com)
Sweden goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson, who briefly blacked out after a freak training ground accident, could be recalled for his team's FIFA World Cup™ clash against Paraguay.
Isaksson was hit in the face by a ball kicked by his former Rennes team-mate Kim Kallstrom in the incident and was forced to miss Saturday's Group B clash with Trinidad and Tobago which finished 0-0. He was replaced by back-up Rami Shaaban.
"Andreas returned to training with a light workout and I hope that he will be available again to face Paraguay," said Sweden coach Lars Lagerback.
Swedish keeper Isaksson out of first game
8 June 2006 by Reuters (www.fifaworldcup.yahoo.com)
First-choice goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson will miss Sweden's opening FIFA World Cup™ match against Trinidad and Tobago after suffering concussion in a training accident, a Swedish team spokesman said on Thursday. A shot from midfielder Kim Kallstrom hit Isaksson in the face during training on Wednesday. The impact knocked him over and he was concussed when he banged his head on the ground. The Rennes keeper will be out of action for between three and five days, the spokesman said, meaning he would miss Saturday's Group B match with debutants Trinidad and Tobago. No decision has been taken on who will replace Isaksson, who plays his club football for Rennes in France and appeared for Sweden at UEFA EURO 2004. The other two goalkeepers in the squad are Rami Shaaban and John Alvbage, both of whom have very little international experience. Former Arsenal goalkeeper Shaaban made his debut for Sweden last month when he came on as a substitute in a friendly against Finland.
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