Tuesday 10 June 2008

[Euro 2008] Greece 0-2 Sweden

Holders Greece already have a fight on their hands to maintain their grip on the trophy they won so memorably four years ago after second-half goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Petter Hansson gave Sweden all three points in their opening Group D match in Salzburg.

Group D - Matchday 1
GREECE 0-2 SWEDEN
Wals-Siezenheim Stadion, Salzburg
Zlatan Ibrahimovic produced a moment of magic to put Sweden on the path to a crucial Euro 2008 victory against holders Greece in Group D. Ibrahimovic scored his first goal for Sweden since 2005 with a stunning 25-yard strike after 67 minutes. Petter Hansson scrambled home Sweden's second six minutes later to end Greece's dogged defensive resistance. Hansson had almost given Greece the lead earlier, heading just wide of his own goal, but Sweden deserved the win. Greece looked a shadow of the side that shocked Europe in Portugal four years ago and once Sweden took the lead, Otto Rehhagel's team never looked likely to salvage anything from a dour encounter.


Sweden are now in pole position to qualify along with Spain, while Greece face the prospect of having to beat Russia on Saturday to keep the crown they won in Lisbon in 2004.

Greece: Nikopolidis, Seitaridis, Kyrgiakos, Antzas, Dellas (Amanatidis 70), Torosidis, Charisteas, Basinas, Katsouranis, Karagounis, Gekas (Samaras 46).
Sweden: Isaksson, Alexandersson (Stoor 74), Mellberg, Hansson, Nilsson, Wilhelmsson (Rosenberg 78), Svensson, Ljungberg, Andersson, Ibrahimovic (Elmander 71), Henrik Larsson.

[Euro 2008 Group D]

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