Showing posts with label Larsson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Larsson. Show all posts
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored one of the goals of Euro 2012 to give Sweden a polished 2-0 Group D win over France in Kiev and condemn Laurent Blanc's side to a daunting quarter-final with world and European champions Spain.
With England overcoming Ukraine 1-0 in Donetsk, the French needed to match that scoreline to win Group D but failed miserably as Sweden - despite already being eliminated having lost their first two games - were by far the better side at the Olympic Stadium.
AC Milan forward Ibrahimovic set them on the road to three points when he swivelled to smash a volley low into the corner of the net from just inside the opposition area to earn Sweden the lead from Sebastian Larsson's cross on 54 minutes.
It was a special finish from the towering forward in a commendable team effort by Sweden, an asset that seemed to seep from the French side on such an important evening.
After continuing to trouble a France side that looked worryingly one-paced and were largely restricted to shots from distance, Sweden gleaned a merited second goal in added time.
Substitute Samuel Holmen knocked an effort off the bar, but Larsson had the presence of mind to whack the rebound into the gaping net with the French defence nowhere to be seen.
France were finished for the night, but of course are not finished for the tournament.
They concluded on four points - three points behind Group D winners England - but their reward for this insipid performance is a match against Group C winners Spain in Donetsk on Saturday night with England meeting Italy 24 hours later in Kiev.
Sweden depart the tournament with a first competitive win over France since 1969 - a run stretching back 12 games - while France have a few days to reflect upon losing their 23-match unbeaten record.
Philippe Mexes was harshly booked in the second half for a foul on Ola Toivonen, and will miss the match against Spain. That may be no bad thing.
Adil Rami, the strapping Valencia defender who was at the heart of the French back line alongside Mexes, was not much better as he continually and needlessly surrendered possession during key sections of the evening.
With Yohan Cabaye training separately from the rest of the French squad after collecting an injury sustained in the 2-0 win over Ukraine, Yann M'Vila came into the midfield for his first start of the finals.
Sweden coach Erik Hamren made two changes from the team who lost 3-2 against England knowing his team were already eliminated. Midfielder Emir Bajrami replaced the ill Rasmus Elm with Toivonen starting for the injured Johan Elmander up front.
In a first half of few chances, Toivonen could have handed Sweden a lead on four minutes when he rose to head wide of goal from Martin Olsson's floated cross.
The PSV Eindhoven forward should have hit the net on 12 minutes when he rolled Mexes before eluding France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
He seemed likely to score, but just overran the ball as he slipped a shot against the outside of the post with Lloris grounded.
Sweden could have added a second moments after Ibrahimovic scored with the productive substitute Christian Wilhemlsson and Olof Mellberg forcing to Lloris to make eye-catching saves to prevent France from falling out of the game.
Samir Nasri walloped a shot wide of goal on 63 minutes before limping off injured while M'Vila forced Andreas Isaksson to repel his shot 20 minutes from time, but France's best chance of the second half fell to substitute Olivier Giroud, who somehow headed wide from eight yards out on 84 minutes from Florent Malouda's corner.
The life seemed to have drained from France. That was confirmed when Larsson finished off the match in added time.
For the record, Karim Benzema has now attempted 15 shots without scoring, more than any other player at the tournament.
Chelsea slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Birmingham as Lee Bowyer's goal condemned the Premier League champions to defeat at St Andrew's.
Birmingham scored after 17 minutes courtesy of Bowyer's composed finish and from that point on goalkeeper Ben Foster kept Chelsea at bay
Time and again the visitors got close but an exceptional day's work from Foster kept them ahead and on the one occasion he was beaten by Didier Drogba, the post came to his rescue.
Chelsea began brightly and Salomon Kalou nearly found the opener within a minute, latching on to Drogba's chest-down and poking a shot through Foster's legs but wide of the post.
Drogba forced a sharp save from the onrushing Foster five minutes into the match as the visitors dominating possession.
But a slick move from the home side provided the goal with Sebastian Larsson's cross expertly met by Cameron Jerome who put a precise header into Bowyer's path. With two men sucked towards the striker, Bowyer was left one-on-one with Petr Cech and struck the ball crisply past the goalkeeper.
Only a quite exceptional save from Foster, tipping the ball away low to his left prevented Drogba from levelling the scores with a header.
Another good save denied Ashley Cole after the full-back linked up with Kalou who played several incisive through balls.
Still the equaliser did not come and when Drogba finally connected with a header that was too good for Foster, the Ivorian saw his effort come back off the post. Ramires got on to the loose ball, but missed the target with his follow-up.
The second-half continued in the same pattern as the first with Chelsea having as much as two-thirds of the possession in their search for a goal.
Birmingham fought magnificently, exemplified by a superb sliding tackle from Roger Johnson to dispossess Ramires as the Brazilian surged into the box.
Kalou then had a gilt-edged chance, turning Foster before a howling miss as he placed his shot over the crossbar.
It looked almost certain that the leveller would eventually arrive as Birmingham failed to add another effort to their single shot on target.
But time continued to trickle away and Birmingham managed to negotiate four minutes of injury time before sealing a famous and determined win.
Chelsea remain top of the table despite their third defeat in four Premier League games but Manchester United join them on 28 points after their victory against Wigan.
Carlo Ancelotti will be left to ponder how his side could come away empty-handed from a match they dominated.
