Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores as Sweden claim narrow first leg win over Denmark
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Updated 14/11/2015 at 23:15 GMT
Euro 2016 qualification play-off, Friends Arena - Sweden 2 (Forsberg 45', Ibrahimovic 50') Denmark 1 (Jorgenson 80')
Denmark's defender Simon Kjaer reacts as Sweden's forward and team captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic (C) shoots during the Euro 2016 play-off football match between Sweden and Denmark at the Friends arena in Solna on November 14, 2015. AFP PHOTO/JONATHAN NACKSTR
Image credit: AFP
Zlatan Ibrahimovic continued his astonishing international goalscoring streak by finding the net in Sweden’s narrow Euro 2016 play-off win over Denmark.
The Paris Saint-Germain striker fired home the hosts’ second goal of the night from the spot, following Emil Forsberg’s first-half opener. Denmark actually started the better of the two sides, but Sweden responded well to take control of the contest.
However, with Sweden seemingly coasting to a comfortable 2-0 win, Denmark struck back themselves through Nicolai Jorgensen - who turned home at the back post after a flick on from a corner kick.
The result leaves the tie finely poised ahead of the second leg in Copenhagen next week, with a place in next summer’s European Championships on the line. Ibrahimovic avoided a suspension for the match, but did come close to picking up a yellow card which would have ruled him out of the second leg.
KEY EVENTS
9’ FIRST CHANCE OF THE MATCH FALLS TO KAHLENBERG! The cross comes into the Sweden box from the left side, with Kahlenberg ghosting in... but his volleyed effort is blocked.
10’ ERIKSEN TAKES IT ON HIMSELF! The Spurs playmaker cuts inside off the right and takes on the shot from about 25 yards out, but he fires over the target. Setting his sights.
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Sweden and Denmark's national soccer teams observe a minute of silence to honor the victims in the terror attack in Paris, before their Euro 2016 qualifier play-off first leg match at the Friends arena in Stockholm, Sweden, November 14, 2015. REUTERS/Marc
Image credit: Reuters
21’ BERG SHOULD HAVE SCORED! Lewicki breaks to the byline and picks out the striker with a low pass. Berg takes the shot first time but can only find the gloves of Schmeichel. That should be 1-0. What a chance.
26’ BRILLIANT RUN BY FISCHER! The Ajax youngster shows excellent skill to beat two Swedish defenders, but it in the end it's a last ditch challenge from Granqvist to deny him.
28’ GREAT CHANCE FOR BENDTNER! Isaksson flaps at a cross that comes into the box, with the ball dropping to the Wolfsburg striker. But his shot is tame and the keeper can make the save.
35’ BERG ALMOST SQUEEZES IT IN AT THE NEAR POST! The Sweden striker was very opportunistic in trying to poke home a shot from a flick on, but the Denmark keeper makes the stop.
36’ THE BEST CHANCE OF THE MATCH SO FAR FALLS TO BERG! A wonderful flick over the top from Ibrahimovic sets Berg clean through on goal, but he pulls his shot across goal and past the far post.
44’ INCHES WIDE FROM IBRAHIMOVIC! That's the first time he's had a real sight of goal, but he doesn't quite catch his shot cleanly and the bal flashes past the far post. Schmeichel wasn't sure.
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Sweden's Marcus Berg and Denmark's Riza Durmisi during their UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier play-off first leg match at the Friends arena in Stockholm, Sweden, November 14, 2015. REUTERS/Janerik Henriksson/TT
Image credit: Reuters
45’ GOAL! Sweden 1 Denmark 0: The hosts have a crucial lead in this tie! Lustig's cross finds Forsberg inside the box and the Swede sweeps home the finish into the far corner of the net. Excellent finish!
50’ HEADER FROM IBRAHIMOVIC! Olsen does really well to beat his man on the left side and stage a cross up into the area, but the PSG striker can't get over it and heads over the target.
51’ PENALTY KICK TO SWEDEN! That was a blatant foul inside the penalty area, and the referee points to the spot. Easiest decision he will ever have to make. What was Kahlenberg thinking?
52’ GOAL! Sweden 2 Denmark 0: He makes no mistake from the penalty spot! Ibrahimovic puts his foot through his conversion and finds the bottom corner of the Danish net.
67’ ISAKSSON IS CALLED UPON TO TIP OVER HIS BAR! The cross from Jacobsen was a deep one, and the Swedish goalkeeper wasn't sure about it. He decided to play is safe in the end.
69’ BENDTNER HEADS WIDE OF THE TARGET! The corner kick to the near post is a good one from Eriksen, but the Wolfsburg striker can't quite find the target with his powerful effort.
80’ GOAL! Sweden 2 Denmark 1: Denmark have a lifeline in this tie! The corner kick was flicked on by Poulsen and Jorgenson turned it home on the slide at the back post.
88’ THAT WASN'T FAR AWAY FROM AN EQUALISER! Poulsen comes close to making contact with an in-swinging cross into the box, but it flashes over his head and just past the far post.
89’ THAT COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE! Denmark manage to tease a low cross into the six yard area, with Johansson thrashing at his clearance. Luckily for him it went straight up in the air.
KEY STATS
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has now scored 10 goals in his last 10 appearances for Sweden, netting in each of his last four.
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Sweden's John Guidetti (L) fight for the ball with Denmark's William Kvist during their Euro 2016 qualifier play-off first leg soccer match at the Friends arena in Stockholm, Sweden, November 14, 2015.REUTERS/Marcus Ericsson/TT News Agency
Image credit: Reuters
Denmark have now won just one of their last nine away games.
TALKING POINT
Have Sweden found a way to play without relying on Zlatan Ibrahimovic?
Yes, the Paris Saint-Germain striker found the net for his ninth successive game at international level, but Ibrahimovic certainly wasn’t at his best against Denmark. Instead it was Marcus Berg and Jimmy Durmaz who took on the attacking onus, and could have propelled Sweden to a result greater than the 2-1 they eventually came away with. They could rue their missed opportunities in the second leg.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Martin Olsson
Sweden took time to grow into the contest at the Friends Arena, but when they did they found an attacking outlet down the left side through Olsson. The Norwich City full-back was a threat throughout the entire match, and gave Denmark a problem they couldn’t cope with. They will need to get a grip on Olsson in the second leg.
PLAYER RATINGS
Sweden - Isaksson 6, Lustig 7, Antonsson 6, Granqvist 5, Olsson 8, Lewicki 7, Kallstrom 6, Durmaz 6, Forsberg 7, Ibrahimovic 7, Berg 6. Subs - Johansson 6, Larsson 5, Guidetti 5.
Denmark - Schmeichel 6, Jacobsen 6, Kjaer 5, Agger 5, Durmisi 5, Kvist 6, Kahlenberg 4, Eriksen 7, Braithwaite 5, Fischer 6, Bendtner 5. Subs - Jorgenson 6, Hojbjerg 6, Poulsen 6.
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