Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Sweden to meet England in Euro 2012

Sweden has been drawn in group D with England, France and co-hosts Ukraine at next summer’s European Football Championship.

Published: 2 December 2011 19:17 CET

Sweden to meet England in Euro 2012

Former French player Zinedine Zidane holds the lot of Sweden at the draw.

The draw means that Sweden will feel confident of their chances of making it through to the knockout phase.

Manager Erik Hamrén and several of the Swedish players had said before the draw, which was held on Friday evening, that they were hoping to be in the same group as the English.

Sebastian Larsson who plays for premier league team Sunderland had also expressed a hope for such a draw and will have special reason to look forward to the clash in Kiev on June 15th.

The group will certainly be considered favourable for all four teams.

Although Ukraine, as one of the hosts will pose a threat, there is no doubt that it was one of the preferred options from the first pot, while France are still in a rebuilding phase after a disastrous World Cup in 2010.

The draw will also give Sweden a chance for revenge after England beat them 1-0 at Wembley in November.

It was the first time in over 40 years that the Swedes had succumbed to England.

The same team have also been confirmed as guest opposition in the first match to be played at the new national stadium in Solna, Stockholm next November.

Elsewhere in the draw, Sweden’s Scandinavian neighbours Denmark will face the daunting prospect of Germany and the Netherlands, two of the likely favourites, as well as Portugal in group B, while world champions Spain are set to meet Croatia, the Republic of Ireland and Italy in group C.

Co-hosts Poland will face Greece, Russia and Czech Republic in Group A.

The tournament kicks off on June 8th, when Poland will take on champions from 2004, Greece, at the National Stadium in Warsaw, with the final game played at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium on July 1st.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

'Why not us?': With a Schmeichel in goal again can Denmark repeat its 1992 Euro triumph?

Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel dreams of repeating his father's 1992 Euro victory. Photo: Bo Amstrup / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP

“You’ve got to dream big … and the question we’ve got to ask ourselves is ‘Why not us?'” the keeper recently told Danish TV2.

His father Peter was the hero of Denmark’s unexpected European championship victory in Sweden almost 30 years ago. With his 129 caps from 1987 to 2001 and long career with Manchester United, Peter Schmeichel is a living legend.

Kasper Schmeichel — tall, blond and strapping like his father — has made a name for himself as well.

Since 2011 he has played for Leicester, the surprise 2016 Premier League champions, and registered 60 caps for Denmark, including a brilliant performance at the 2018 World Cup.

As he approaches the end of his career, he hopes to fulfil his boyhood dream of winning the Euro, after Denmark, currently ranked 10th in the FIFA standings, failed to qualify in 2016.

“When you’re little and you play football, what do you dream of, playing or winning? Obviously you dream of winning!” he said with a smile.

“We’ve got a good team, I think. And we’ve racked up some good results and good showings in the past few years,” he added.

“When you look at the results that we can achieve when the pressure is on, we have every reason to be optimistic.”

But apart from the fact that Denmark are not a favourite and that there will be a Schmeichel standing between the posts, there are not many similarities with 1992.

Back then, Denmark — called up at the last minute after Yugoslavia were excluded over the war in the Balkans — were not at all prepared and managed to turn their relaxed approach to triumph.

Out of the shadows

There’s no need for the squad to feel the shadow of 1992 hanging over them, Poul Ferdinand, sports reporter at daily Ekstra Bladet, told AFP.

“Before the Euros in 1992, the team wasn’t playing very well, there were conflicts with management. Today it’s different, the team is strong and well organised,” he said.

Schmeichel, who grew up and played his entire career in the shadow of his father’s exploits, agreed, saying there’s no reason to feel intimidated by the past.

“The surname’s definitely not been a help, that’s for sure, but it’s got no relevance to me at all,” he told the BBC several years ago. “That’s my name, I’ve always fielded those questions from the media, but I just get on with it. I think it would be easier to play a different sport.”

Denmark finished second in their qualifying group behind Switzerland but ahead of the Republic of Ireland, going undefeated while scoring 23 goals and conceding just six in eight games.

“The style has changed a bit” in recent years, said Ferdinand. While head coach Kasper Hjulmand has maintained the strong defensive game developed by former coach Age Hareide, “he also attacks more”.

At the 2018 World Cup, Denmark’s play was lacklustre but solid, enabling them to advance to the round of 16 where they fell to eventual runners-up Croatia on penalties despite Schmeichel’s heroics.

“It should be extremely difficult (for our opponents) to score … but at the same time we have to increase our ball possession closer to our opponent’s goal,” Hjulmand said ahead of the Euro.

In addition to Schmeichel, Denmark will be counting on experienced defender and team captain Simon Kjaer as well as midfielders Christian Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Home fans will play their part too, as the Danes will stay in Copenhagen for their three Group B matches, meeting Finland on June 12, top-ranked Belgium on June 17 and Russia on June 21.

“Expectations are pretty high but … we’re realistic, to make it to the semi-finals would be good,” Ferdinand said.

“The first objective is to qualify from the group stage in the best shape possible to continue our mission,” Hjulmand said as he presented his squad.

Url copied to clipboard!