Sweden v France [Euro 2012 Group D]
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Venue - Olympic Stadium, Kiev
Live Streams - http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?...71&part=sports
TEAM NEWS
Sweden coach Erik Hamren has no fresh fitness doubts, but will replace Johan Elmander with either Markus Rosenberg or Ola Toivonen up front.
One or two other fringe players can expect to feature.
If Yohan Cabaye is still affected by a slight knock, Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila will replace him.
Winger Jeremy Menez should keep his place ahead of Florent Malouda, as might Gael Clichy be preferred to Manchester United's Patrice Evra.MATCH PREVIEW
The French - especially coach Laurent Blanc - may well raise a Gallic eyebrow at Sweden. In 1992, they went into the Euros as one of the real favourites. Majestic Blanc was at centre-back. Now-Uefa president Michel Platini was boss, conjuring a perfect qualifying record and a 19-match unbeaten run. A nation expected goals and glory. But Sweden, on home soil, held them 1-1 in the opening match: a shock spoke in their wheels from which they could not recover. They crashed out at the group stage.
It would feel equally disastrous if they failed to reach the last eight now, especially against a Sweden team who have already been knocked out. The Scandinavians, however, are hurting after their 3-2 loss to England. Captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic insists they were the better team against Roy Hodgson's men and against Ukraine, and is determined they will prove their worth before they fly home. "We'll be playing for our honour," he said. "To motivate ourselves for the game isn't a problem."
The AC Milan man says that he will continue to play international football, but 34-year-old defender Olof Mellberg - who put Sweden in the lead against England - and 35-year-old midfielder Anders Svensson are representing their country for the last time in a tournament. Erik Hamren will utilise some fringe players, the team stress they'll still give their all - and possibly be liberated by an absence of pressure.
Les Bleus have not reached the quarter-final at a major tournament since the 2006 World Cup. But after controlling much of the 1-1 draw with England before sparkling in a 2-0 win over Ukraine, ambition is present. Their biggest motivation is not just getting through; it's going for a goal-laden victory to ensure they finish as group winners and avoid Spain.
Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye is one of a number of emerging influences in a young, fresh squad where no players has more than 50 caps - apart from Franck Ribery (62) and Florent Malouda (78). Should they exact revenge on the Swedes, they might even justify the tag of dark horses.LINE-UPS Sweden v France
France: Lloris; Debuchy, Rami, Mèxes, Clichy; Nasri, Diarra, M'Vila, Ben Arfa, Ribéry; Benzema.
Sweden: Isaksson; Granqvist, Mellberg, J. Olsson, M. Olsson; Larsson, A. Svensson, Källström, Bajrami; Ibrahimovic, Toivonen.MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- The last time Sweden beat France in a competitive match was back in 1969, a 2-0 home win during qualification for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
- Their only meeting at a major tournament was at Euro 1992 (in Sweden), when they drew the opening match 1-1. Current France coach Laurent Blanc played in that match.
Sweden
- Sweden have lost their last four European Championship finals matches - their worst run of defeats in tournament history.
- The Swedes have scored in all 12 competitive matches under Erik Hamren's management.
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic had scored for four straight matches before suffering a blank against England.
- Before Euro 2012, Sweden had never lost a European Championship match in which they took the lead. They have lost both matches this tournament despite leading.
France
- Les Bleus ended a run of eight games without a win at major tournaments (D4, L4) with their victory against Ukraine on Friday. It was the worst run in their history.
- Laurent Blanc could emulate Germany's Berti Vogts, the only man to win the European Championship as both player and coach (in 1972 and 1996). Blanc won it as a player in 2000.
- Blanc's men are unbeaten in their last 23 internationals (W16, D7), since a 1-0 home defeat to Belarus in September 2010, the longest current unbeaten run in world football.
- Against Ukraine, Les Bleus scored more than once at a major tournament for the first time in 10 matches since beating Spain 3-1 at the 2006 World Cup.
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Originally Posted by DEAD_MAN_WALKING
