England ties Sweden 2-2; wins Group B
(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-21 09:22 The ball sailed straight for the goal and Sweden goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson
leaped desperately to deflect it. But he could only brush the ball with his
fingertips, and it caromed off the post into the back of the net.
Cole ran to the corner of the field, tapping his chest in salute to the
roaring England fans.
Sweden's Andreas
Isaksson (top L) jumps for the ball against England's John Terry (6) and
Peter Crouch during their Group B World Cup 2006 soccer match in Cologne
June 20, 2006 | While England was giving Isaksson
a workout, Sweden's best chance of the first half was off Tobias Linderoth's
corner kick in the 19th. The ball went straight to Teddy Lucic, but it banged
off of Lampard. Lucic held up his hands as if to say, "Just inches," then shook
his head in frustration.
But two very different teams came out after halftime — a good thing for
Sweden, not so good for England.
Six minutes into the half, Allback outleaped Beckham for Linderoth's corner,
knocking the ball back toward the goal and over England goalie Paul Robinson to
tie it. It was the 2,000th goal of the World Cup, which began in 1930.
Four minutes later, Larsson's header deflected off an England defender, and
it looked as if it would go into the net. But Robinson got a shoulder on it, and
it bounced off the crossbar.
It looked as if England's misery against Sweden was finally over in the 85th,
when Cole sent a beautiful cross from the edge of the box to Gerrard, who'd come
on for Rooney in the 69th minute. Gerrard leaped and knocked the ball into the
goal, just past Isaksson.
But Sweden continued its relentless pressure, and it finally paid off in the
dying moments.
Larsson barely brushed the throw-in from Linderoth, but it was enough to get
by Sol Campbell and Robinson. It set off a raucous celebration by the Sweden
fans, who left the stands littered with blue and yellow streamers.
"I knew my chances would come," said Larsson, who got his first goal in
Germany. "If you're lucky you will score. I was tonight."
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