Ibrahimovic's late winner spares Sweden's blushes

GROUP C Faroe Islands 1 Sweden 2: ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC bundled home the winner to rescue struggling Sweden who had to come from…

GROUP C Faroe Islands 1 Sweden 2:ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC bundled home the winner to rescue struggling Sweden who had to come from a goal down to beat the Faroe Islands in Group C yesterday.

The Sweden captain sunk the plucky Faroes on 75 minutes, flicking Pontus Wernbloom’s delicate first-time pass past goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen before firing home.

The fired-up Faroes, playing on their new artificial pitch for the first time, stunned the Swedes on 57 minutes when a weak Jonas Olsson clearance fell to Rogvi Baldvinsson and he scored with a low shot past Andreas Isaksson.

Sweden coach Erik Hamren made an inspired double substitution just after the hour, bringing on Anders Svensson and Alexander Kacaniklic.

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The move quickly paid off when Ibrahimovic, limited to speculative shots from distance in the opening half, linked up with Svensson and set up Kacaniklic to equalise.

Sweden now have two wins from two in the group.

FAROE ISLANDS: Nielsen, Naes, Justinussen, Faero, Baldvinsson, Hansson (Olsen 83), Benjaminsen, Samuelsen, Udsen (Elttor 85), Holst (Hansen 71), Edmundsson.

SWEDEN: Isaksson, Lustig, Olsson, Granqvist, Olsson, Larsson, Kallstrom (Svensson 62), Wernbloom, Wilhelmsson (Kacaniklic 62), Ibrahimovic, Ranegie (Berg 77).

Referee: Anastasios Sidiropoulos(Greece).