Match Report: Sweden 4-2 England
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the star of the show at the opening of the new national stadium in Stockholm. The Swedish captain scored all four of his teams goals as Roy Hodgson’s unbeaten record as England manager came to an end.
Ibrahimovic celebrates his fourth goal.
With much of the attention before the game going to England’s captain making his 100th appearance, it was his opposite number, making his 85th international appearance who stole the show.
The hosts took the lead after 20 minutes. Raheen Sterling was dispossessed and Martin Olsson was able to break down the England right, crossing the ball in to Ibrahimovic, who saw his initial shot blocked by Caulker, but was first to react to poke the ball into the roof of the net for the first goal at the stadium, and his eighth in his last 11 international games.
The lead could have been extended but Mathias Ranegie fired over the bar after Joe Hart and Gary Cahill got in each others way and failed to clear a cross. The Swede’s shot was deflected by Caulker’s leg, and Hart again failed to deal with the resulting corner in a convincing manner.
The equaliser involved each of England’s front three, with Sterling’s ball out to Ashley Young, who was able to get past Sebastian Larsson with ease before curling in a well placed cross that neither defenders nor keeper Isaksson were able to deal with, and Danny Welbeck was on hand to volley in.
England continued to grow into the game, and took the lead three minutes later through Caulker. After his goal against Manchester City over the weekend, the Tottenham defender continued his goalscoring form by sliding in to finish a Steven Gerrard free kick that again evaded the reach of the Swedish defence.
England had finished the first half strongly and continued this into the second half, with Isaksson forced into saves from Gerrard and Osman.
After wasting a couple of opportunities, the first by muscling past Caulker and firing over from a tight angle, then volleying well wide after a ball over the top from Larsson, Ibrahimovic began to take over the game. The equaliser came after 77 minutes. Substitute Svenson played a ball over the England backline, and Ibrahimovic muscled Shawcross out of his way, controlled on his chest and volleyed the ball through Joe Hart. He even showed how much of a friendly this game was by checking the health of Gary Cahill, having collided with the Chelsea man during his follow through.
Ibrahimovic completed his hat-trick on 84 minutes, though Joe Hart will be disappointed with how he was beaten. A free kick 30 yards out from goal was drilled along the ground and through the crowd on the edge of the area, beating the England keeper on his side of the goal.
The fourth goal will be the real talking point from the game. It came out of nothing. Joe Hart came out of his area to head clear a long ball, but succeeded in only heading it straight up in the air. As the keeper moved back into his area, the ball dropped to Ibrahimovic. At about head height he bicycle kicked it over not only his own head, but also Hart, Shawcross and 30-odd yards of pitch before landing just over the goalline. It was a phenomenal goal, and gave the occasion a real highlight.
There were positives for England, with Jack Wilshere playing the last half hour of the game, as well as solid debut performances from Caulker, Osman and Sterling. Tom Huddlestone also made his return to international football after a two and a half year absence, but this game will be remembered for the Ibrahimovic masterclass.
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