England travelled to Sweden to face the Scandinavians in the inaugural match at the Friends Arena in Stockholm this evening.
The match turned into the Zlatan Ibrahimovic show by the end as the Paris Saint-Germain forward netted all four goals for the home side to cancel out strikes from Danny Welbeck and Steven Caulker on his debut.
Ibrahimovic's fourth will be remembered for a long time as he took on a 30-yard overhead kick after Joe Hart had headed the ball into the air.
Read how the full 90 minutes unfolded below.
Evening all! Let's get straight to the teams.
Hart; Johnson, Cahill, Caulker, Baines; Gerrard, Osman; Young, Cleverley, Sterling; Welbeck
We're still waiting for the Sweden team to be announced but expect their superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic to lead the line.
As well as England debuts for Raheem Sterling, Leon Osman and Steven Caulker tonight, captain Steven Gerrard is earning his 100th cap. Top effort Stevie.
There's a real age contrast between two of tonight's debutants as Sterling is 17 while Osman is into his thirties. Both of them deserve their chance in the national team, no doubt. Sterling has been majorly impressive for Liverpool this season while Osman has been delivering for the blue half of Merseyside for many a season now.
Both sides are boasting healthy records going into this one. Sweden have won seven of the last eight at home, with England unbeaten in eight away. It's an age-old football cliche but something's gotta give.
The last time these two met was earlier this year at Euro 2012 in the group stage and it was England who edged the Swedes 3-2 thanks to a Welbeck winner. Can the Manchester United man score again tonight?
The Sweden lineup has just been announced...
Isaaksson; Lustig, Grandqvist, Olsson, Olsson; Elm, Kallstrom, Larsson, Kacaniklic; Ranegie, Ibrahimovic
Zlat will support Mathias Ranegie, Udinese's French-born frontman, up top while behind there is the Premier League duo of Sebastian Larsson and Alexander Kacaniklic, who play for Sunderland and Fulham respectively.
The England players are currently warming up with just over half an hour until kickoff.
With Hodgson giving debuts to three men tonight it makes it 10 who have been given their international birth since the veteran took over.
Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha could also make his senior England bow after being called up to replace some late pull-outs.
Away from Stockholm tonight, Montenegro have moved top of England's World Cup 2014 qualifying group thanks to a comfortable victory over San Marino.
We also have plenty of other international football live commentaries on offer tonight...
For Northern Ireland's Group F qualification match against Azerbaijan in Belfast, click here.
Two giants of world football, Italy and France, meet in Parma and you can follow that here.
Gerrard has just been telling ITV Sport some of his best England memories. He says that his favourite game was the 5-1 Germany away, his favourite teammate was Paul Scholes and toughest opponent was Zinedine Zidane. He also rates his England career at 7/10 but wants to improve that.
The Liverpudlian talisman also made his Three Lions debut against Sweden 12 years ago, when Sterling was five years old!
The players have just come on to the pitch as some medieval horses trot around the outskirts. How very peculiar.
I guess that's how they do opening parties in Sweden?
National anthem time and for some strange reason the second verse is being played and none of the Englishmen know the words! Another highlight there was Osman's Movember moustache. Great effort.
Rio Ferdinand has just tweeted: "Congratulations to Steven Gerrard on #100caps, great achievement." Quite right.
Ibrahimovic plays out a mock kickoff with a young Swedish boy and we're just about ready to go.
Sweden get us underway.
The turf at the Friends Arena was only laid five days ago and looks as if it will cut up.
First scare for England as a lofted through ball causes confusion between Hart and Cahill, who collide but the ball is cleared.
Welcome to international football, Raheem. The Liverpool winger takes the brunt of Martin Olsson's challenge but is OK to carry on.
Sweden are in their traditional yellow tops, blue shorts and yellow socks while England are all in white.
Manchester United pair Cleverley and Welbeck link up on the edge of the area before the latter is adjudged to have handled a Jonas Olsson clearance. Harsh one, that.
It's a peculiar, almost non-existent atmosphere under the roof at the Friends Arena. The home crowd are not doing much, with the England supporters are doing their best.
First shot of the match and it's almost a goal on his debut for Osman. The Everton midfielder didn't quite catch it on his weaker left foot though and it's a comfortable save for Isaksson.
Sterling sends over a good cross from the right but there's no-one coming from the back post to meet it.
Gerrard tries to find Young but the Manchester United winger was offside. Close, but correct, call.
Gerrard's corner almost finds the head of Cahill but it's just flicked to safety.
In Luxembourg Jordan Rhodes has scored a brace for Scotland to give them an early 2-0 lead.
CHANCE! England have another set piece and once again Gerrard whips over a great cross and Cahill is inches away from getting a touch on the ball. Up the other end Kim Kallstrom lets fly from distance but it was never troubling Hart.
Not much to speak of in the opening 20 minutes but England have created the better chances as the surface continues to cut up.
GOAL! SWEDEN SCORE! IBRAHIMOVIC!
Just as I say the Swedes hadn't threatened, they score. Sterling is dispossessed by Martin Olsson and the home side break through Ranegie. The ball is eventually crossed into Ibra and his first attempt is blocked but the PSG man pounces on the loose ball and toepokes into the top corner, nothing Hart could do.
England had been the better side and it's fair to say that goal was against the run of play.
MISS! Sterling breaks clear and feeds Welbeck who pulls back for Johnson. The Liverpool right-back fizzes a shot that was going wide but Cleverley should have got a toe to it.
CHANCE! We're seeing some action all of a sudden! Larsson, with that cracking right boot of his, whips over a cross and Ranegie gets purchase on it but not quite enough.
Neat footwork from Kacanicklic almost opens up a shooting opportunity but it's blocked. Much better from Sweden in the last 10 minutes.
WHAT A MISS! Cahill and Hart once again get in a pickle and the ball breaks to Kacaniklic who sees his shot blocked before Ranegie is fed an open goal and skies over.
Better from England as Johnson switches play to Young and his cross is deflected behind for a corner.
The ball's cleared but Gerrard lobs back into the area for Cahill who is called offside but may have just been on.
GOAL! ENGLAND EQUALISE! WELBECK!
Classy goal from the Three Lions. Sterling finds Young down the left and he steps over and beats Lustig before crossing for Welbeck who can't miss from a yard. The defending of Sweden's centre-backs was very suspect there, barely moved.
Sterling is brought down and England have a free kick about 35 yards out on the right. Gerrard to take...
GOAL! ENGLAND ARE AHEAD! CAULKER ON HIS DEBUT!
What a moment for the Spurs youngster! Sweden have looked dodgy defending set pieces and Gerrard sends over a beaut of a delivery that Caulker simply has to poke in from a yard. He scored against the Premier League champions at the weekend and now has an England goal on his debut. What a week!
CHANCE! This game's really livened up! Sweden come close to netting the fourth as Kacaniklic squares for Ibrahimovic, whose shot is deflected just over by Cahill's right boot.
Great free kick from Larsson but it's superbly defended by England as we approach the interval.
One minute added on at the end of the first half.
Sweden 1-2 England
So, after a pretty dull opening 20 minutes, it's been a cracking second half of the first 45. England went behind when Ibrahimovic poked home but they've come back strong and lead thanks to Welbeck and Caulker.
If you're only just joining us and want a quick sum-up of the opening half then you can read our half-time report by clicking here. Go on.
Hodgson is expected to make plenty of changes in the second half. Will we see the young boy Zaha?
I'd expect to see the Palace winger if England go 3-1 or more ahead but if it stays tight then Hodgson might want to stick with experience.
Sweden have made a change, with Martin Olsson being replaced by Behrang Safari. I bet he's a wild character.
The second half is underway. England have made no changes.
Kacaniklic sends over a cross from the left but Ranegie's header is well over the bar.
CHANCE! Close for England as Baines crosses and it goes all the way across the face of goal and is missed at the far post by Osman.
You'd have to criticise the Swedish crowd for their quietness tonight. The atmosphere has been very flat(pack). See what I did there?
Gerrard pounces on a loose ball in the area but his left-foot shot is blocked.
SHOT! Gerrard takes a quick free kick to Osman who swivels and fires towards the near post, with Isaksson pushing it behind for a corner.
Osman's having a really good game and he almost works a shooting opportunity with some smart footwork in the area.
Hodgson's still yet to make a substitution. Surely soon?
SHOT! 100-cap man Gerrard unleashes from fully 30 yards and it's beaten away by Isaksson.
Iffy moment for Hart as he goes up for a high ball and drops it under pressure from Ranegie. Larsson can't apply the finish from the loose ball.
Sweden have looked a little more threatening in the last five minutes and Elm almost creates a chance with a clever back header.
Changes for both teams as ex-Saint Anders Svensson comes on for Kallstrom and England bring on Jack Wilshere and Daniel Sturridge for Young and Cleverley.
Ibrahimovic rolls off Caulker but can't wrap his foot around it from a tight angle.
CHANCE! England give the ball away and Ibrahimovic is set free. The PSG forward perhaps should have looked up and squared but instead he went for the outrageous volley and sliced wide.
Nasty challenge from behind from Granqvist on Sturridge. England take the free kick short. The Three Lions look comfortable.
SHOT! Gerrard certainly wants a goal on his centenary night as the skipper volleys from outside the area but that was always wide.
Yellow card for Granqvist because of some dissent towards the Norwegian ref.
Hodgson's ready to make three changes.
Sweden subs are Antonsson for Granqvist and Sana for Lustig.
England bring on Tom Huddlestone, Carl Jenkinson and Ryan Shawcross for Gerrard, Caulker and Johnson.
Jenkinson and Shawcross are making their international debuts by the way. Solid performance from Stevie G on his 100th cap while Caulker will be over the moon to have scored on his debut.
GOAL! SWEDEN EQUALISE! IBRAHIMOVIC!
Quality goal from the Swedes. Svensson picks out Ibberz with a lofted ball and the PSG man takes a touch on his chest before smashing home a volley. Hart could have done a touch better as it was almost straight at him. Hit very hard though.
With 10 minutes left, are we going to see a winner in the inaugural match at the Friends Arena? The hosts certainly have the momentum after the equaliser.
Sharp footwork from Osman on the edge of the box opens up a shooting opportunity but Isaksson holds on.
Strange incident as the Swedish keeper's kick hits one of the strings that carries the birds-eye camera above the pitch. Drop ball.
Sweden have a free kick about 28 yards about and Zlatan is eyeing it up.
GOAL! WHAT A HIT FROM THE NUMBER 10!
The PSG forward hits it low on Hart's side of the wall and it goes in off the post. That's a treble for Zlatan but I think his second and third should have been kept out by Hart.
After the goal Zaha was brought on for his debut in place of Sterling. Can the Palace man help England snatch a draw?
Harsh booking for Wilshere as he brings down Ibrahimovic cynically.
Up the other end and Wilshere is now clipped by Ibrahimovic as he looked to break clear. The hat-trick man doesn't get a booking though. Hmmmm.
Another Swedish sub as Ranegie comes off for Wernbloom.
Four minutes added on.
GOAL! IBRAHIMOVIC HAS A FOURTH AND IT'S A SCREAMER!
Oh my, oh my. Hart comes out and heads the ball up in the air and Zlatan decides to try an outrageous overhead kick from about 30 yards or something stupid. Guess what? He pulls it off. Absolutely ridiculous.
Sweden 4-2 England
A cracking inaugural game in the end at the Friends Arena. Hodgson has lost his unbeaten record with England because of Ibrahimovic who netted all four goals.
Although the PSG man was extremely impressive, you'd have to say the England defence were at fault for all four goals. Sterling was sloppy in possession for the first and Hart should've kept out the second and third and headed not up but away for the extravagant fourth.
Once again my colleague Barney Corkhill has been extremely punctual with his match report which you can read by clicking here.
That's just about it from me tonight. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for updates. Make sure you look out for our match analysis which will be on site at around 10pm. Until next time, good night!
Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
