Sweden v England

Sweden 2

Mellberg 49′, 59′

England 3

Carroll 23′ Walcott 64′ Welbeck 78′

FT 90 +5
HT 0-1

Highlights: Sweden 2-3 England

By Phil McNulty BBC Sport chief football writer in Kiev

Danny Welbeck hit a clever winner as England came from behind to beat Sweden for the first time in a competitive fixture after their Euro 2012 campaign flirted with danger in Kiev.

Andy Carroll's superb first-half header allowed England to establish comfortable control - but poor defending allowed Sweden to score twice and take the lead before the hour.

Analysis

Phil McNulty Chief football writer, BBC Sport

Hodgson will be judged on the impact and results of his big calls and he could not have done much better both in acting on a tactical theory and reacting when it threatened to go wrong.

England manager Roy Hodgson required inspiration and found it in the shape of substitute Theo Walcott as the Arsenal attacker turned the game around with a spectacular equaliser and a penetrating run to set up Welbeck's deft back-heel with 12 minutes left.

Hodgson's side had been derided in some quarters for their conservative approach in the opening 1-1 draw with France but there could be no complaints about the entertainment value on offer here in Ukraine - although not all of it was intentional or admirable.

He will take heart from England's positive response to adversity but will be hugely concerned that trouble came as the result of a collective lapse of defensive concentration that gave Sweden an all-too-easy route back into this contest.

England know a draw against co-hosts Ukraine in Donetsk next Tuesday will put them through to the Euro 2012 quarter-finals, but they will face a team with ambitions of their own in that direction in what will be a hostile atmosphere inside the Donbass Arena.

Hodgson's plan was clear and was revealed by Carroll's recall. Sweden's defence had a weakness in the air and England were intent on probing it.

England's first threat came from midfield man Scott Parker when he saw his rising 25-yard shot clawed away by Sweden goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson.

And there was a hint of things to come when Welbeck rose to meet James Milner's cross, but his glancing header was weak and lacked the direction to trouble Isaksson.

When England broke the deadlock it came from a move that was straight from Hodgson's strategy both in creation and execution.

Gerrard's cross from the right wing was met by the soaring figure of Carroll as he got in between Andreas Granqvist and Mellberg to power a header past Isaksson.

Sweden were carrying few attacking threats, although the ease with which Zlatan Ibrahimovic brushed Parker off the ball and then won a straight race with a ponderous-looking John Terry were causes for concern.

Kim Kallstrom shot just over after Glen Johnson lost possession and Hart had to dive at the feet of Johan Elmander as the Swedes attempted to restore equality before the break.

After looking relatively settled, England were set back by a scrappy mess of an equaliser for Sweden four minutes after the restart. Ibrahimovic's free-kick, conceded needlessly by Carroll, was not cleared and Mellberg's shot was palmed on to Johnson before going into the net.

Sweden had emerged with a sense of purpose they never showed in the first half and were ahead just before the hour - but once again England were guilty of defending in a manner that manager Hodgson will find unacceptable.

Welbeck flick puts England back in front

Mellberg was allowed to rise unmarked amid a mass of dozing defenders to meet Seb Larsson's free-kick and send a downward header past Hart as England's players looked bemused at the fate that had befallen them.

Hodgson's reaction was to introduce Walcott for Milner and it was a change that reaped a rich reward as the Arsenal attacker played a decisive part in England's recovery.

Walcott's swerving finish for his first international goal in nearly four years brought England level after 64 minutes before his darting run into the area and cross allowed Welbeck to apply an instinctive back-flick finish.

In the closing moments captain Gerrard could have given the scoreline a more convincing appearance but Isaksson did brilliantly to block his close-range volley.

The victory was secured, but Hodgson and England will be well aware they survived a scare caused by their own carelessness.

Continue reading the main story

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (5)

Sweden

01 Isaksson
03 Mellberg Booked
04 Granqvist (Lustig - 66' )
05 Mn Olsson
13 Olsson Booked
06 Elm (Wilhelmsson - 81' )
07 Larsson
08 Svensson Booked
09 Kallstrom
10 Ibrahimovic
11 Elmander (Rosenberg - 79' )

Substitutes

12 Wiland
23 Hansson
02 Lustig
15 Antonsson
17 Safari
16 Wernbloom
18 Holmen
19 Bajrami
21 Wilhelmsson
14 Hysen
20 Toivonen
22 Rosenberg

England

01 Hart
02 Johnson
03 Cole
06 Terry
15 Lescott
04 Gerrard
11 Young
16 Milner Booked (Walcott - 60' )
17 Parker
09 Carroll
22 Welbeck (Oxlade-Chamberlain - 89' )

Substitutes

13 Green
23 Butland
05 Kelly
12 Baines
14 Jones
18 Jagielka
07 Walcott
08 Henderson
19 Downing
20 Oxlade-Chamberlain
21 Defoe

Ref: Skomina

Att: 70,000

Match Stats

Possession 48 52

Shots

12 15

On target

9 8

Corners

3 3

Fouls

11 9

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:08 Full time

Full Time The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.

90:00 +3:45

Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Jonas Olsson goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

90:00 +1:51

A cross is delivered by Theo Walcott, Shot by Steven Gerrard from 12 yards. Andreas Isaksson makes a save.

90:00 +0:20

Steven Gerrard has an effort direct from the free kick.

90:00 +0:20 Booking

Booking The referee cautions Anders Svensson for dissent.

90:00 +0:09

Sebastian Larsson is penalised for a handball.

88:55 Substitution

Substitution Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaces Danny Welbeck.