Ibrahimovic Steals Show for Sweden as England are Underwhelming
Picture: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Sweden 4-2 England Swedbank Arena
Chris O'Keefe
Four goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, including three in the
last 13 minutes of the game, condemned England to a deserved defeat and leaving
English fans perhaps questioning their team’s long term prospects.
The Paris St Germain player was certainly the star of the
show and his fourth goal warrants a visit to YouTube, but it may divert
attention away from the poor overall performance in which the rare positives
arguably came from some of the new England internationals.
Sweden dominated the first 20 minutes with Ibrahimovic
showing why he should be considered amongst the very best attacking players in
the world - constantly occupying the English defence and bringing the Swedish
midfield into more threatening attacking positions.
He opening the scoring in the 20th minute with an
instinctual goal after the ball rebounded off Gary Cahill into his path and,
with a flick of his right foot, he slotted the ball in the top corner.
England should have equalised when Tom Cleverley failed to
make sufficient contact with a sliding effort connecting with a cross cum shot
from Glen Johnson and although England shaded possession in the first 30 minutes, they offered little else attacking product in open play beside.
Then a terrific cross field pass from 17-year-old debutant
Raheem Sterling in the 35th minute finding Ashley Young with a
strong attacking platform and the Manchester United winger duly picked out
Danny Welbeck who diverted the ball past Sweden stopper Andreas Isaksson to
equalise.
Suddenly the game appear to shift in the visitors direction
and England were in front two minutes later as Steven Gerrard curled a
free-kick into the box from the right side inviting Steven Caulker, himself
earning his first cap, to score.
However, after the break and despite the introductions of
debutants Carl Jenkinson and Leon Osman – who made a somewhat impressive cameo –
the game was more fragmented and lacked sustained pressure from both teams.
Indeed, it was Ibrahimovic who seemed shake the game into
life with some impressive attacking play, which England were unable to repel.
His finish on 77 minutes to level the game came from an
exquisite chip from Anders Svensson which dissected England defence and, with a
touch on his chest to control, the PSG forward rifled the ball past Joe Hart.
The England keeper may have been at fault for Ibrahimovic’s
hat-trick goal from a fizzing low free-kick that nestled in Hart’s bottom left
corner but he could be forgiven the speed of shot and the fact his weight was
going in the opposite direction initially.
Ibrahimovic’s fourth goal was a tenacious bicycle kick with
Hart out his goal and his back four scrambling to regroup, the flight of the
ball took it over the despairing Jenkinson.
England manager Roy Hodgson may point to that goal and his
performance as the key to defeat but his side seem to approach games against
the competitive nations willing to cede play to them and grasp at any attacking
opportunities that come their way.
This meant they largely had fewer clear opportunities to
hurt Sweden and take a stranglehold on the game – even at 2-1 ahead.
What Hodgson can glean from this night is that his debutants
offer new options and most notably Raheem Sterling at 17, who will improve
beyond his already considerable attacking talent.
posted by C O'K @ 10:19 pm
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