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Sweden national football team
World Cup | Qualifiers
Jun 11, 2013 at 6.15pm UK
 
Faroe Islands national football team

2-0

Live Commentary: Sweden 2-0 Faroe Islands - as it happened

Live coverage of the Group C World Cup qualifying match between Sweden and the Faroe Islands.
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Sweden have beaten Faroe Islands 2-0 in their group C World Cup qualifier this evening.

Two goals from captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic helped the home side climb up to third in their group.

Sweden were reduced to 10 men in the 80th minute when Andreas Granqvist was sent off for a challenge on Frodi Benjaminsen.

Read how all the action unfolded below:


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Good evening. It's less than half-an-hour until kickoff at the Friends Stadium in Solna, where Sweden host the Faroe Islands in a World Cup qualification match.

Both sides come into the game following a poor run of form. The visitors have lost their last five matches, while Sweden's only win in their last five came against Macedonia last week.

Sweden will be the heavy favourites this evening, they are currently ranked 27th in the world, while the Faroe Islands are 161st.

We've just received the team news for this evening's match. Let's take a look at the starting lineups.

SWEDEN STARTING XI: Hansson, Lustig, Olsson, Granqvist, Nilsson, Larsson, Kallstrom, Ekdal, Kacaniklic, Ibrahimovic, Toivonen

FAROE ISLANDS STARTING XI: Nielson, Tor Naes, V Davidsen, Gregersen, J Davidsen, Justinussen, Hansson, Benjaminsen, Holst, Olsen, Edmundsson

Well it certainly looks like Sweden are taking their opponents seriously, naming a strong starting team, with captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic partnering PSV Eindhoven striker Ola Toivonen up front.

The Faroe Islands have a relatively inexperienced squad. Only midfielder Frodi Benjaminsen has more than 50 caps, while Suni Olsen will reach his half century this evening. Most of their players play for clubs based in the Faroe Islands, while a couple are based in Norway and Denmark.

Sweden's team is pooled from top-flight clubs from across Europe. As well as Paris Saint-Germain star Ibrahimovic, there's Fulham's Alex Kacaniklic, Celtic's Mikael Lustig and Albin Ekfal from Cagliari.

A win for Sweden this evening will move them back above the Republic of Ireland into third in Group C, level on points with second-placed Austria, who have a much better goal difference. A victory for the Faroe Islands would lift them above Kazakhstan.

As well as this game, you can also keep up to date with both of the games currently taking place in the Under-21 Euro tournament. It's currently goalless between Israel and England, while Norway and Italy are also drawing.

The players are on the pitch ready to get the game underway. The referee for tonight's game will be Bulgarian Georgi Yordanov.

The Faroe Islands get the game underway.

It's a good start for the home side as they break into their opponent's penalty area inside the opening minute. The ball falls to Kacaniklic, but the Fulham man's shot is blocked, and the visitors cope well with the early pressure.

There's more pressure from the hosts as they look to get an early goal, but Olsen gets back to help in defence, and blocks Ekdal's cross. The Faroe Islands haven't really seen much of the ball in the opening minutes of this World Cup qualifier.

Kacaniklic has another chance to open the scoring for Sweden, but debutant Viljormur Davidsen heads the ball out for a corner. Kallstrom delivers the ball back into the penalty area, but Davidsen is on hand to get the ball away. The visitors' defenders have been kept busy so far, but they're looking well organised at the back, it will take a good move from Sweden to open the scoring.

CHANCE!Ibrahimovic gets his first sight of goal, but his left-footed effort from the edge of the area is deflected wide. The PSG forward gets another chance off the corner, but he gets a poor contact and the ball loops into the upper tier of the stand.

The visitors go on their first attacking move of the game, and are awarded a free kick when Joan Edmundsson is fouled by Andreas Granqvist. Olsen whips the ball in but it's cleared by Mikael Lustig.

Ibrahimovic thinks that he should have been awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area after being brought down by Johan Davidsen, but the referee is not interested in his appeals. Looking at the replays, it was the slightest of contacts that brought the striker down, he probably could have stayed on his feet.

The visitors are starting to grow in confidence. Sweden are still seeing the majority of the ball but the action has moved into midfield rather than all taking place in the Faroe Island's final third.

CHANCE! Larsson whips in a brilliant cross in front of the away goal. It falls to Kallstrom, who tries to volley it in, but his strike just misses the left post.

CHANCE! Lustig takes the ball down the wing before picking out Lustig. The Celtic midfielder crosses it towards Ibrahimovic, but he's being closely marked by Jonas Tor Naes, and can't get a clean header to it.

Sweden try to get the ball to Ibrahimovic again, this time Kallstrom makes the delivery, but once again he has company. This time the Faroe Islands have two defenders on the dangerous forward, and he fails to reach his teammate's pass in time to get the shot away.

It has to be said, the Faroe Islands are defending superbly. Sweden have been practically camped in front of their goal, but the visitors have identified Ibrahimovic as the main danger, and are making sure he doesn't get any easy chances.

SAVES! Gunnar Nielsen is tested for the first time in the Faroe Islands' goal but he does well, making a brilliant save from a Toivonen header, before stopping another headed effort by Ibrahimovic moments later.

There could be a problem for the Faroe Islands here, as their most experienced player, Frodi Benjaminsen, is clattered while trying to win the ball in the air. He's off the pitch receiving treatment at the moment, having picked up a knock to the head.

OFFSIDE! It's another chance for Kacaniklic, but he's flagged for offside as he breaks into the six-yard box. Benjaminsen is back on the pitch now though.

DISALLOWED GOAL! Kacaniklic is through on goal yet again, picking the ball up on the edge of the area. The Faroe Island's defenders can't match his pace and he coolly slots it into the net, before turning to see the assistant referee raise the flag. It was the right decision, but it was a late call.

Ibrahimovic and Ekdal team up in midfield. The captain looks to press forward, but has his shirt tugged, giving Sweden a free kick in a dangerous position. Ibrahimovic lines it up, but it's superbly blocked by the wall.

Suni Olsen appears to have picked up an injury during the free kick. Ibrahimovic's free kick looks to have struck him right on the ankle bone.

Viljormur Davidsen fires the ball forward from a free kick, and Olsen picks it up, and looks to break into Sweden's box. He passes to Holst, but the midfielder can't get the shot away.

GOAL! Sweden 1-0 Faroe Islands (Ibrahimovic)

Following the visitors best move of the match so far, the hosts immediately go on the counter attack, catching the Faroe Islands out of position at the back. Lustig fires it into the penalty area for the captain to head in, giving Sweden the lead.

Ibrahimovic almost makes it two straight from the restart, but he's flagged for offside. The goal seems to have given Sweden an energy boost.

SUB! Suni Olssen has had to go off with the ankle injury that he picked up defending Ibrahimovic's free kick earlier in the half. Heini Vatnsdal takes his place for the Faroe Islands.

Sweden are attacking again, with Kallstrom bearing down on the Faroe Islands' goal, but Viljormur Davidsen makes yet another clearacne. He's been impressive at the back in his first half of international football.

CHANCE! Lustig and Ibrahimovic team up again, this game down the sideline. Lustig eventually makes the cross, with Toivonen standing by to try to head the ball in, but the ball is just a fraction high.

HALF TIME: Sweden 1-0 Faroe Islands

Sweden head into half time with a one-goal lead thanks to some superb play from Mikael Lustig, which set up Zlatan Ibrahimovic for a simple header in the 35th minute. In all honesty, Sweden could and probably should have scored more in the opening 45 minutes, but the Faroe Islands gave a good account of themselves defensively.

The home side saw the majority of the possession in the first half, with 56%. Sweden also had 10 shots, including four on target, while the Faroe Islands failed to threaten their opponents' goal.

Looking back at Sweden's other chances, Alex Kacaniklic will be disappointed not to have scored so far. The Fulham midfielder did find the back of the net, but was judged to have been in an offside position for the second time in two minutes.

If the score stays this way, it will be bad news for the Republic of Ireland. Their 3-0 will over the Faroe Islands on Friday moved them above Sweden in the group C table, but victory for the home side will ensure they jump back up to third.

The players are heading back out ready for the second half.

Sweden get the second half underway.

Sweden have started the second half much how they finished the first, immediately pressing towards the Faroe Islands goal. Kacaniklic gets the ball through to Ibrahimovic, but the team's captain doesn't control the ball in time, and the visitors make the clearance.

CHANCE! It's a first attempt at Sweden's goal for the visitors, as Holst finds some space on the edge of the area, and unleashes a powerful strike from his right foot, but the ball goes wide.

CHANCE! Sweden are immediately applying pressure at the other end, and Kacaniklic gets another chance, but he fires the ball high. It's an end-to-end start to the second half.

The Faroe Islands go on the attack again, with Holst looking for support in the box, but Toivonen makes the challenge to clear the danger. The tackle leaves Holst on the ground and he looks to the referee for a penalty, but the Bulgarian official waves his appeals away.

SAVE! A goal kick from Par Hansson finds Kallstrom in midfield, and he takes the ball into the box and hits it with his left foot, but Gunnar Nielsen makes another solid save.

Larsson takes a corner for Sweden. He aims his delivery at Ibrahimovic but the captain can't reach it, and Vatnsdal clears the ball, but only as far as Lustig, who crosses it back in, but Nielson comes off his line to collect the ball.

SAVE! Par Hansson has to make his first save of the match, as Frodi Benjaminsen strikes the ball from close range. The Faroe Islands have been much more positive in the early stages of this second half, and they're starting to cause problems for their hosts.

SUB! Kim Kallstrom heads off the pitch, and is replaces by Anders Svensson for Sweden.

SUB! The Faroe Islands also make a change, and it's a positive one bringing on striker Simun Samuelson for midfielder Christian Holst.

Sweden have another corner, and Larsson takes it again. This time he finds Per Nilsson, who climbs high to take a header, but his effort goes just over the bar. Given the Faroe Islands performance in this second period, the hosts will be keen to convert another of their many chances.

It's another corner for the hosts, and another Larsson delivery. The initial threat is cleared, but Ibrahimovic fires the ball back in. Nielson appears to have it covered, but Gregersen puts it out for a corner.

CHANCE! It's been all Sweden for the last couple of minutes and they just came so close to doubling their lead. Another corner drops to Ibrahimovic, and the Swedish captain tries to volley it in, but the ball is deflected just wide. Nilsson gets another chance at a header from the resulting corner, but this time his effort goes wide.

A foul on Benjaminsen gives the Faroe Islands another chance to go on the attack, and Gregersen blasts it forward, but his teammates can't control the long ball, and Sweden win a goal kick.

SUB! Sweden have made their second change, sending Jimmy Durmaz on in place of Sebastian Larsson.

CHANCEKacaniklic charges at a loose ball in the Faroe Islands' penalty area, but Nielson just does enough to put him off, and Samuelson makes sure that the ball stays out of the net.

CHANCE! Sweden have a free kick in a dangerous area, around 20 yards from the goal. Kacaniklic lines it up and whips it in superbly. Granqvist muscles his way into space looking to get a header away, but the referee thinks he's been too aggressive, and awards a free kick to the Faroe Islands.

BOOKING! Pol Johannes Justinussen received the first yellow card of the game for the foul that resulted in Sweden's free kick.

CHANCE! Faroe Islands get a free kick on the half way line, but Svensson blocks the delivery and makes a long pass back towards the visitors' half. Kacaniklic finds Toivonen, but the striker's shot goes well over the bar.

SAVE! Toivonen gets another chance to add a second for the home side, but Nielson makes a clean catch to prevent the PSV Eindhoven striker from scoring. The Faroe Islands keeper has been kept busy throughout the game, but has made a string of superb saves to keep his team in this match.

BOOKING! Simun Samuelson picks up the ball inside Sweden's half, and seems to time his run well, but the assistant referee raises the offside flag. The striker is furious, believing that he should have had a chance to equalise for the visitors, and screams at the referee, receiving a yellow card for his trouble.

RED CARD! Andreas Granqvist clashes with Frodi Benjaminsen. Players from both sides get into a bit of a scuffle forcing the referee to take action, and he dismisses the Swedish defender. The home side will have to protect their one-goal advantage with just 10 men.

PENALTY TO SWEDEN

GOAL! Sweden 2-0 Faroe Islands (Ibrahimovic)

What a crazy couple of minutes that was! Ibrahimovic has the ball inside the penalty area and is looking to find a gap to take a shot when he's brought down by Atli Gregersen, resulting in the referee awarding a spot kick. The Swedish captain steps up to take it, and swiftly dispatches it to the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

SUB! Sweden have made their final change as they look to protect their lead while a man short. Jonas Olsson is on in place of Ola Toivonen.

Just going back to the red card incident. Granqvist and Benjaminsen were both going for the ball and the Swedish player brought his opponent down, and seemed to catch him with his studs, resulting in an angry reaction from Benjaminsen and his teammates. Benjaminsen was booked for his reaction.

SUB! It's the final change for the Faroe Islands, with Pall Klettskaro replacing Hallur Hansson.

Sweden are in defensive mode now as they just look to protect their lead until full time. Benjaminsen feeds the ball into the penalty area, but he has no support, and Hansson easily claims the ball.

The home side continue to let the Faroe Islands have possession in the final minutes of this game, but they've got number back making it difficult for the visitors to create chances.

Mikael Lustig wins a late free kick for Sweden. The home side look to add their third goal, with Ibrahimovic closing in on goal, but Nielson is able to prevent the Sweden captain from completing his hat-trick.

FULL TIME: Sweden 2-0 Faroe Islands

Well, that was hard work for Sweden but they take the three points and move up to third in group C. It was a gutsy performance from the Faroe Islands, but a late penalty sealed the win for the hosts.

The visitors really tested Sweden at times in the second half, and probably thought they had a chance of a point when Andreas Granqvist was sent off in the 80th minute, but they conceded a penalty just moments later to gift Sweden the win.

That's all from Friends Stadium this evening. Join us again tomorrow for live commentaries from the Under-21 Euro championships and Spain's friendly against the Republic of Ireland. Thanks for joining me this evening, good bye.

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