Sweden came back from four goals down to tie Germany in a World Cup qualifier.
By Chipp Reid
The New York Yankees could have used some Swedish chutzpa in their season-ending series against the Detroit Lions.
The Swedish men’s national soccer team overcame a four-goal deficit in 30 minutes as the blagult rallied for a 4-4 draw with four-time world champion Germany in a World Cup qualifier Oct. 16 in Berlin. It is the first in the 108-year history of German football that its national team has squandered a four-goal lead.
“I do not know if it is possible to explain,” said Zlatan Ibrahimovic. “Last time we were here, we got great memories, but this time it was even better. Individually I do not know, but as a team, this is probably among the best I have experienced.”
Ibrahimovic, in many ways, is Sweden’s Alex Rodriguez. Unlike A-Rod, who went 0-for-18 with 12 strikeouts against right-handed pitchers in the playoffs, Ibrahimovich came through against Germany, scoring once and setting up a goal.
The comeback spoiled what was a big night for another star, German striker Miroslav Klose, who moved within one goal of tying all-time German leading scorer Gerd Muller. Klose struck twice in the first half as the Germans completely dominated the opening 45 minutes. Klose put Germany in front after just eight minutes with his first goal of the match, doubling the lead seven minutes later. The goal was his 67th career tally for Germany.
Per Mertesacker made the score 3-0 in the 39th minutes and it looked as though Germany would cruise to an easy win. When Ozel Mesut scored the Germans’ fourth goal of the day, it appeared to the crowd at Olympiastadion in Berlin that the match was all but over.
Neither the crowd nor the Germans, however, could predict what would happen during the final half hour.
Ibrahimovic, Sweden’s often-maligned superstar, literally got the ball rolling when he struck in the 62nd minute off a pass from Kim Källström. The Olympic Lyon midfielder came into the game as a second-half substitute and immediately began putting pressure on the Germans. Källström sent a low pass into the penalty area that found Ibrahimovic and the AC Milan striker spun and ripped a shot past German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. The goal was his 35th career tally for Sweden.
Two minutes later Källström was at it again. He sent in another low pass that this time found defender Mikael Lustig, who has become one of Sweden’s best offensive weapons with his runs from the back line. Lustig one-timed his shot past Neuer and suddenly the score was 4-2.
The Swedes continued to press forward, seeming to stun the Germans. Johan Elmander narrowed the score to 4-3 in the 74th minute when he hooked up with Alexander Kacaniklic to beat Neuer. Elmander actually tried to drop the ball off to midfielder Tobias Sana but Sana’s shot caromed off the post back to Elmander and the Galatasaray striker made no mistake.
“This is among the best teams I have met during my 65 internationals. With 3-0 at half-time, it felt pretty hopeless actually,” said Elmander. “To come back like we did is really something special.”
Now with 16 minutes left, the Swedes upped their pressure even more. Kacaniklic, in just his third full international, took over from Källström as the Swede’s catalyst. The Fulham FC danced around and through the German defense but while the Teutons bent, they would not break. As time ticked down, it looked as though Sweden would come up short.
Källström, however, had other ideas. Playing the role of Yankees captain Derek Jeter, who earned his reputation as a clutch player by always performing well in pressure situations, Källström once more beat the German defense with a low pass to Ibrahimovic. The striker tapped the ball to Rasmus Elm, who was streaking through the area, and Elm knocked a low shot past Neuer three minutes into stoppage time.
“I hardly knew my legs, I was too tired to think, just shot, luckily it went in, said Elm. “Coming back from 0-4 away against Germany, we may be well be happy with that, but, we didn’t win.”
Sweden may not have won, but head coach Erik Hamren didn’t seem to mind.
"It was still a strange feeling in the dressing room, it's not every day on the international stage that you come back for a 4-4 draw having been 4-0 down," Hamren said. "To come to Germany and get a point against one of the best teams in the world is incredible. It is something historical. I am very proud of my team and the way they reacted."
The match was Sweden’s third and final World Cup qualifier of the year. The blue and yellow are currently second in Group C to Germany with seven points from two wins and a draw. Germany is 3-0-1, good for 10 points. Other teams in the group are Kazakstan, Ireland, Austria and the Faroe Islands.
