UNITED KINGDOM: REACTIONS TO ENGLAND'S DRAW 0-0 AGAINST SWEDEN IN EURO 2000 QUALIFYING FOOTBALL MATCH

Record ID: 336856

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: REACTIONS TO ENGLAND'S DRAW 0-0 AGAINST SWEDEN IN EURO 2000 QUALIFYING FOOTBALL MATCH
  • Date: 6th June 1999
  • Summary: LONDON, UK (JUNE 6, 1999)(REUTERS) 1. ENGLAND PLAYERS (LED BY THE ILL GRAEME LE SAUX IN BLUE TOP) WALK DOWN THE TUNNEL AFTER THE 0-0 DRAW WITH SWEDEN, MANAGER KEVIN KEEGAN IN WHITE TOP WIPES HIS FOREHEAD 2. PAUL SCHOLES (RED HAIR) WHO WAS SENT OFF AND A LIMPING DAVID BECKHAM WALK PAST 3. (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) ENGLAND CAPTAIN ALAN SHEARER SAY
  • Embargoed: 21st June 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, UK
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA4UBUNOXLTE0C5419O0NH3EE35
  • Story Text: England were held to a 0-0 Wembley draw by Sweden on
    Saturday, having Paul Scholes sent off early in the second
    half, and now face a tough task to qualify for Euro 2000.

    Scholes, hat-trick hero when England beat Poland 3-1
    in their last group five match, was given his marching orders
    in the 51st minute for a second yellow card offence, both
    fouls on Stefan Schwarz.

    But even before the dismissal England were never able to
    get on top and in the end were lucky to avoid defeat.

    Group leaders Sweden squandered several good scoring
    chances and Fredrik Ljungberg, the outstanding player on the
    pitch, hit the bar with a free kick in the 77th minute.

    Sweden, who had won all their four previous qualifiers,
    look virtually certain of going into Euro 2000 as group
    winners.They now have 13 points from five games.Four more
    than second placed Poland, who beat Bulgaria 2-0 on Friday.

    England, who trail by a further point, need to beat
    Bulgaria in Sofia on Wednesday and Poland away in September to
    finish second and make the play-offs.

    England's revival under new coach Kevin Keegan was
    short-lived against the accomplished Swedes, a side with a
    distinct jinx on their opponents who have not beaten them in
    eight matches since 1968.

    Keegan, who had no complaints about Scholes's dismissal,
    said: "We didn't play well in the first half at all.

    "The one thing we take out of this game is character and
    determination.I suppose we're looking at play-offs now.We
    had to win today.

    "We didn't quite get it going today but I don't think we
    should start jumping off the ship and committing suicide."
    Sweden, well organised at the back where Patrik Andersson
    and Joachim Bjorklund were superb and hard-working in
    midfield, smothered England from the start and always looked
    more likely to score on the break.

    Ljungberg, Bjorklund and Kennet Andersson all went close
    in the first half while England mustered just one real chance
    when captain Alan Shearer blasted the ball over the bar just
    before the interval.

    The match effectively went away from England five minutes
    after the break when Scholes was sent off.The Manchester
    United player could have few complaints as he was lucky to
    escape a yellow card or worse in the first minute when a
    challenge on Hakan Mild left the Swedish midfielder with a
    nasty gash on his right thigh and unable to take part in the
    rest of the match.

    Scholes was the seventh England player to be shown a red
    card and the first at Wembley.England had Paul Ince dismissed
    in the 2-1 qualifying defeat to Sweden in Stockholm last
    September.

    Scholes's United colleague, David Beckham, so influential
    in his club's treble success, had perhaps his poorest match in
    an England shirt.He went off injured 15 minutes from time
    with the Swedes clearly in charge.

    England's frustration showed with some niggling challenges
    and protests which saw Andy Cole, David Batty and Shearer
    receive yellow cards.Magnus Hedman, Kennet Andersson and
    Schwarz were also booked for the Swedes.

    England lost defenders Martin Keown and Graeme Le Saux
    through injury and illness in the first half and Beckham's
    injury left Keegan unable to throw on another striker late in
    the game.

    Keown and Beckham will both miss Wednesday's match with
    Bulgaria.


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