SWEDEN 2-2 ENGLAND

20 June 2006

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.