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| June 20, 2006 | Tuesday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 23, 1427 |
England set to unleash Rooney on Sweden
COLOGNE, June 19: Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is counting on fit-again young striker Wayne Rooney to end England's 38-year wait to beat his native Sweden when they meet in Tuesday's World Cup clash in Group B.
Just over seven weeks after leaving Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground on crutches with a double fracture in his foot, Rooney will make a welcome return to England's starting lineup.
Though through to the second round after beating Paraguay 1-0 and Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 to lead the group, England have toiled without Rooney's power and skill on the ball -- particularly in the gap between midfield and attack.
Rooney came on for the last half-hour against the Soca Warriors last Thursday and, without setting the game alight, played in some nice passes.
Eriksson will now step up the 20-year-old's exposure as he prepares him for this weekend's last 16 game against Germany or Ecuador, who meet in Group A earlier on Tuesday.
England will know whether Germany got the win they needed to finish top and face Group B's runners-up by the time their own game starts in Cologne.
It will add a twist to the evening as neither Eriksson's men nor Sweden, who need a draw to finish runners-up and a victory to win the group, will want to face the hosts in the second round.
Both England and Sweden, though, have vowed to win regardless.
“The way English players play is to just go out and try and win the game and that's what we will do,” said England defender Jamie Carragher, who should again deputise at right back for the injured Gary Neville.
Michael Owen, in need of a goal, should start alongside Rooney, with both men likely to be replaced in the second half by Peter Crouch and 17-year-old Theo Walcott.
Though Sweden have striker Henrik Larsson available, unlike injury doubt Zlatan Ibrahimovic, their biggest threat could be a familiar face to the England back four, Arsenal's Freddie Ljungberg.
His late strike earned Sweden a vital 1-0 victory over Paraguay -- their only goal of the finals after they played out a 0-0 with 10-man Trinidad & Tobago.
Sweden, who drew 1-1 with England in the group stages of the 2002 World Cup, are at least creating openings.
“We ought to score two or three goals a game with this number of chances,” said coach Lars Lagerback.
Probable teams:
SWEDEN (3-5-2): 1-Andreas Isaksson; 3-Olof Mellberg, 4-Teddy Lucic, 5-Erik Edman; 6-Tobias Linderoth, 7-Niclas Alexandersson, 9-Fredrik Ljungberg, 21-Christian Wilhelmsson, 16-Kim Kallstrom; 20-Marcus Allback, 11-Henrik Larsson.
ENGLAND (4-4-2): 1-Paul Robinson; 15-Jamie Carragher, 5-Rio Ferdinand, 6-John Terry, 3-Ashley Cole; 7-David Beckham, 8-Frank Lampard, 16-Owen Hargreaves, 11-Joe Cole; 10-Michael Owen, 9-Wayne Rooney.
Referee: Busacca Massimo (Switzerland).—Reuters
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