It was one of those nights that France could well live to regret. Needing to match England's result in Donetsk to be sure of finishing top of the group and avoid a quarter-final with Spain, Laurent Blanc's side suffered their first defeat to Sweden in 43 years on an evening when nothing went right for Les Bleus.
The damage extended beyond the result. Blanc, a picture of frustration on the touchline, will also have to make do without his first-choice central defender against the defending champions in Donetsk on Saturday after Philippe Mexès picked up his second yellow of the tournament. Sweden were already ahead at that point and it was a goal to admire, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's spectacular bicycle kick beating the otherwise excellent Hugo Lloris.
France were poor and although they rallied late on when the substitutes Jérémy Ménez and Olivier Giroud both had chances to equalise, they were punished for a second time when Sebastian Larsson volleyed home from close-range in the 90th minute after Samuel Holman's effort came back off the crossbar. There were long faces in the French dugout, although they could have no complaints about a result that brings to and end their 23-match unbeaten run.
Sweden, guaranteed to finish bottom of the group, had nothing to play for and history was also against them – they had failed to beat France in their previous 11 meetings, stretching back to 1969 – but Laurent Blanc had warned his players beforehand about the perils of underestimating a team that had gone ahead in their opening two games but failed to pick up a point.
They also had a wonderful chance to take an early lead here but Ola Toivonen, thrust into the role of central striker in the absence of the injured Johan Elmander, left the Sweden supporters shaking their heads in despair at his failure to punish some suspect French defending. Philippe Mexès misjudged Kim Kallstrom's lofted pass, inviting Toivonen to bear down on the France goal but the forward's touch took him wide of Hugo Lloris and, with the angle narrowing, he hit the outside of the post.
It was the third time Sweden had troubled France and there were only 10 minutes on the clock, which provided a measure of how sluggishly Blanc's side started this game. The same thing happened against England, much to Blanc's dismay, while in Donetsk on Friday it was the mother of all thunderstorms that prevented France from getting into their stride. Against a Sweden side that has packed their bags and are ready to head home there was no excuse for another lacklustre opening.
The first two Sweden opportunities arrived from their left flank, Toivonen heading Martin Olsson's centre wide when he should at least have forced a save from Lloris before Larsson, from a similar position, nodded into the France goalkeeper's hands from Kallstrom's cross. How the Sweden fans must have wished that one of those chances had fallen to Ibrahimovich.
Franck Ribéry, running on to Karim Benzema's pass following a mistake by the makeshift right-back Andreas Granqvist, tested Andreas Isaksson at his near post in the eighth minute with a left-footed shot but that was a rare moment of consternation for the Sweden goalkeeper who had surprisingly little to do before the interval. France were unable to play with any cohesion and looked nothing like the vibrant, attacking team that brutally exposed Ukraine's shortcomings. At times there was a hint of desperation about their play. Adil Rami punted a free-kick over from at least 35 yards and Benzema, three minutes before the interval, drilled a low, raking shot from some distance well wide.
Hatem Ben Arfa, who started ahead of Jérémy Ménez wide on the right, was closer with a left-footed effort that flashed over the crossbar but it all felt a little underwhelming and it was easy to imagine Blanc demanding much more from his players at half-time.
If that was the case, the message went unheeded. Sweden started the second half strongly and came agonisingly close to taking the lead in the 53rd minute, when Christian Wilhelmsson, on for the peripheral Emir Bajrami, brought the ball down brilliantly before delivering a cross to the back post. Larsson met it on the full but his powerful volley was repelled by Lloris. The reprieve proved to be short-lived and 28 seconds later Lloris was retrieving the ball from the back of his net.
It was a glorious goal and one that showcased Ibrahimovich's sublime talent. When Larsson crossed from the right flank, the ball was slightly behind Ibrahimovich but, in what felt like slow motion, the Milan striker shaped his body to execute a bicycle kick. The end result was stunning, Lloris given no chance as the ball fizzed beyond him and into the far corner.
France were hanging on for a period as renewed belief coursed through the Sweden side. Ibrahimovich, clearly enjoying himself, released Wilhelmsson with a clever pass and Lloris had to be alert to deny the substitute at the near post. A few minutes later Olof Mellberg's backheel volley, which had shades of Danny Welbeck's goal against Sweden on Friday, forced Lloris into another fine stop. Belatedly France roused, Menéz scuffing a shot that Isaksson just did enough to keep out before Giroud headed Florent Malouda's corner wide with the goal at his mercy. Larsson, thrashing into the unguarded net after Holmen hit the woodwork, was nothing like as generous. Read More
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