Sweden can spring a surprise

FOCUS ON SWEDEN: Paddy Agnewon how Sweden have finally cashed in on their trump card, Zlatan Ibrahimovic

ARE THE Swedes about to spring yet another surprise in a Euro 2008 competition that has already seen a couple of tasty turn-ups for the books via defeats handed out to European football's two most successful nations, Germany and Italy? As the Swedes prepare to face Spain, a side that looked likely tournament winners to many after their 4-1 opening drubbing of Guus Hiddink's Russia, one is at least entitled to put the question.

For years, the Swedes have been nothing if not consistent. Not only is this their fifth consecutive finals appearance but also they have made it out of the first round at their last three tournaments. The rule would seem to be you can always rely on them to play well in a qualifying group, to then plot their way through the first round of the finals and then . . . goodnight.

For more than an hour of their opening game against Greece in Salzburg on Tuesday night, the Swedes seemed to be running true to their boring old Scandinavian form. Against an intensely negative but familiarly well organised Greece, the Swedes struggled to create even a decent half-chance.

Then lightning struck, in the shape of the Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He it was who won the game for Sweden with a superb 67th-minute effort, working a one-two with Henrik Larsson before blasting home an unstoppable 25-yard rocket.

If there is one player who can break that Swedish habit, it is Ibrahimovic. If there is one player capable of cashing in on the good work of those around him, such as Alexandersson, Mellberg, Hanson, Nilsson, Svensson, Ljungberg et al, it is "Ibra".

Even if they are much buoyed by that pyrotechnical display against Russia, the Spanish are unlikely to underestimate Sweden today. After all, this is essentially the same team as that which defeated them 2-0 in a September 2006 qualifier in Sweden.

Whilst the Spanish would rightly argue they have not looked back in anger since then, it is also true Sweden have finally cashed in on their trump card, Ibra. For four seasons, the Bosnian-born but Swedish-raised Ibrahimovic has been a key protagonist in Italy's Serie A, winning the title every year, twice with Juventus and twice with Inter. Yet, that form has not always been replicated with Sweden - until Tuesday night that is.

Where one could always rely on Sweden to make it difficult for the Spanish this evening, there is now even the slight possibility of an upset and one that, if it is to come, will surely come directly or indirectly via Ibrahimovic.

Remember, too, that no one has ever accused this Spanish defence of being watertight.

Could Sweden, ironically, be in line to take up the mantle of the side they so deservingly dismissed on Tuesday night, namely the reigning champions, Greece.

In a tournament that has already thrown up some useful sides in the shape of Holland, Portugal and Croatia, to name but the most obvious, such expectations might seem exaggerated. Were Sweden to progress further than the quarter-finals, it would certainly be a huge surprise.

However, the thought has quite clearly long since crossed the mind of coach Lars Lagerback: "Spain are one of the three or four best teams in the world at the moment . . . yet in a competition like this there are always five or six teams who have an outside chance if things go their way as happened to Greece four years ago. Hopefully, we can be that surprise packet."

It says much about the Swedish shortage of real attacking class, at least by comparison with the Torres-Villa-Fàbregas combinations of this world, that Lagerback went out of his way to lull that talented old warrior the 36-year-old Larsson out of international retirement for this tournament. The result of that decision was there for all to see when the old man teamed up with Ibrahimovic for that opening goal against Greece.

Sweden need more of the same tonight if they are to spring yet another competition surprise.