Live from Euro 2004
Italy near exit on day for Scandinavians
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| Sweden's striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2ndR) celebrates with his teammate (LtoR) striker Henrik Larsson, striker Marcus Allback and striker Mattias Jonson after scoring a goal against Italy, 18 June 2004 during their European Nations football championships match at the Dragao stadium in Porto. Italy and Sweden are competing in Group C with Bulgaria and Denmark. |
Italy are in danger of crashing out at the first hurdle after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sweden while Denmark eliminated Bulgaria 2-0 earlier on Friday in a pulsating day of Group C action at Euro 2004.
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| Sweden's striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Top) scores a goal against Italy, 18 June 2004, during their European Nations football championship match at the Dragao stadium in Porto. Italy and Sweden are competing in Group C with Bulgaria and Denmark. |
The Italians were heading towards three crucial points when Zlatan Ibrahimovic produced a piece of magic five minutes from time to salvage a point for the Swedes after Antonio Cassano's first-half header had given Italy the lead.
Sweden and Denmark now have four points from their two matches, while Italy are in third place with two points and Bulgaria are pointless and out.
Even a win in their final group game against Bulgaria on Tuesday may not be enough for Italy to reach the last eight.
The only team sure of qualifying is the winner of the match between Denmark and Sweden although if the two neighbors draw and Italy win, it will come down to goal difference between Italy and Denmark while Sweden would advance.
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| Denmark's forward Jon Dahl Tomasson (C) scores, 18 June 2004 at Braga's stadium, during his team's Euro 2004 group C football match against Bulgaria at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Dimitar DILKOFF |
After a series of near misses, Italy finally took the lead in the 37th minute.
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| Italy's forward Antonio Cassano (2dL) is congratulated by his teammates forward Alessandro Del Piero (L) and midfielder Simone Perrotta (R) as Sweden's defender Olof Mellberg reacts after he scores the first goal against Sweden, 18 June 2004 during their Euro 2004 Group C football match at the Dragao stadium in Porto. AFP Photo / Miguel RIOPA |
Christian Panucci evaded two tackles on the right and delivered a left-footed cross for Cassano whose flicked header gave Isaksson no chance.
Two minutes later Gattuso picked up his second booking ruling him out of the Bulgaria match and captain Fabio Cannavaro also earned a one-match suspension when he was booked a minute into the second-half.
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| Denmark's forward Jon Dahl Tomasson (hidden) is congratulated by several teammates next to Bulgaria's defender Rossen Kirilov (foreground) after scoring the opening goal,18 June 2004 at Braga's stadium, during their team's Euro 2004 group C football match against Bulgaria at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Mladen ANTONOV |
Buffon kept the Scandinavian side at bay as Sweden pressed for a leveller and their prayers were answered in the 85th minute when Ibrahimovic's audacious effort fell over the goalline.
It was one of the goals of the tournament and a worthy effort to earn a point for the Swedes that puts them level with Denmark.
Earlier Friday, Bulgaria joined Russia on the Euro scrapheap when goals from Jon Dahl Tomasson and Jesper Gronkjaer propelled Denmark to a 2-0 win over the 1994 World Cup semi-finalists.
For Gronkjaer it represented a fairytale comeback after missing the first week because of the death of his mother from cancer.
The opener came on the stroke of half-time when Martin Jorgensen picked out Tomasson and the AC Milan ace sidefooted the ball into an open goal.
Bulgaria captain Stilian Pertov was sent off ten minutes from time and Gronkjaer capped a good afternoon's work with Denmark's second in stoppage time after a neat 1-2 with Tomasson.