ANYTHING ENGLAND can do, Sweden can do better, or at least later. After struggling for so long to make the breakthrough against unheralded opponents, they delivered when it mattered, Fredrik Ljungberg scoring a deserved winner with a header in the 89th minute.

Like his good friend, Sven- Göran Eriksson, Lars Lagerbäck will have breathed a mighty sigh of relief. Having helped to hand England qualification, Sweden’s tie with their old friends in Cologne on Tuesday will decide who progresses as winners of group B.

With just a point needed to progress, Lagerbäck seemed unsure how they would approach yet another meeting with England, though Ljungberg had no doubts. “It’s going to be a massive game and I’m sure both teams will do everything to win,” the Arsenal midfield player said. “We only need one point to qualify but we want to win the group and show we’re the best team. We played quite well, much better than against Trinidad & Tobago, but had the same problem that we couldn’t score. Fortunately, we scored in the end and I hope now the goals will come.”

It is difficult to see how, as for all their neat build-up play Sweden looked toothless in attack, an odd situation given the presence of Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front, with Ljungberg in support. This talented trio are supposed to be Sweden’s strongest asset though in recent matches they have played as if caught in the Bermuda Triangle, frequently losing their way.

Ibrahimovic was particularly poor, exuding an air of lethargy and missing two clear chances before being substituted at half-time with a leg injury. “Zlatan had an injury with his leg and we didn’t want to risk him as if he broke down it could have been the end of his World Cup,” Lagerbäck said. “I don’t know how bad the injury is and the medical staff couldn’t tell you tonight.”

Having missed so many chances against Trinidad & Tobago, Sweden surged forward from the outset, with Kim Källström impressing in midfield on his return to the side, though for long periods they appeared doomed to a similar stalemate.

Although largely quiet out on the left, the best opening of the first half was created by Ljungberg, whose cross found Ibrahimovic in space in the six-yard box, only for him bizarrely to square the ball to Larsson. Just before half-time he was even more culpable, finding himself through on goal after a goal kick by Andreas Isaksson but shooting tamely at Aldo Bobadilla, the goalkeeper. One of the young mascots watching from the sidelines could have summoned more power.

Such were Sweden’s struggles that Lagerbäck may have been tempted to give one of them a try, passports permitting, though he instead turned to Marcus Allbäck as Ibrahimovic failed to return after half-time.

The 33-year-old is remembered for placing most of his shots high and wide into the Holte End during his two-year spell at Aston Villa, and a move to Copenhagen has not improved his finishing skills.

After being released by a wonderful through ball from Tobias Linderoth after an hour, Allbäck succeeded in chipping the advancing Bobadilla but his shot lacked power, with Denis Caniza racing back to make a miraculous clearance off the goalline.

Allbäck almost made amends ten minutes later by creating a good chance missed by Larsson before receiving a final reprieve, heading across goal as the clock ticked down for Ljungberg to provide a rousing, and clinical, finish. Better late than never, was the Swedish refrain.