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England ties Sweden 2-2; wins Group B
(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-21 09:22

COLOGNE, Germany - Joe Cole was shredding Sweden's defense so effortlessly he had confident England fans singing "God Save the Queen" before halftime. Not so fast. The Swedes have been flustering England for nearly 40 years now, and this game would be no different.

Henrik Larsson scored off a throw-in, getting the slightest touch to deflect the ball into the net in the 90th minute and salvage a 2-2 tie for the Swedes on Tuesday night. England hasn't beaten Sweden since way back in 1968, a streak that is now at 12 games.

sweden, england
Sweden's Marcus Allback (20) scores his team's first goal as England's David Beckham (7) puts in a challenge during their Group B World Cup 2006 soccer match in Cologne June 20, 2006.[Reuters]

"We scored two fantastic goals and it's a little bit annoying that we concede two goals, one from a corner, one from a long throw-in," England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said. "Even though the Swedes are very strong, we are also a tall, strong team and we should defend better."

There is one big bright spot for England, though. It still won Group B, which means it gets Ecuador and an extra day of rest for the second round, playing Sunday in Stuttgart.

And Sweden, as the runner-up, will have to play three-time champion and World Cup host Germany in Munich in the second round Saturday.

"The most important thing is that we won the group," Eriksson said. "We have been talking about that since we came to Germany. That was the big target."

Cole scored on a brilliant 30-yard shot in the 34th minute, and then set up Steven Gerrard's go-ahead goal in the 85th for England. But the English couldn't put away the Swedes, a problem that has lasted nearly four decades.

Marcus Allback had tied it 1-1 for the Swedes on a header in the 51st minute.

"We were the better team in the second half and created some really good scoring chances," Sweden coach Lars Lagerback said.

Sweden is 4-0-8 in the streak against England, with four of the matches coming while Eriksson ¡ª a Swede ¡ª has coached England.

Though England arrived in Cologne with an eight-game winning streak, it hadn't played anywhere close to its best in Germany. But it seemed to get a spark from Wayne Rooney's return to the starting lineup and Cole's dazzling play, showing a confidence and authority it's lacked so far.

Even losing Michael Owen in the fourth minute to a nasty-looking right knee injury didn't seem to throw them. Owen, who only recently recovered from a broken foot, was carried off the field on a stretcher and will be examined Wednesday.

"We're all feeling for Michael at the moment," captain David Beckham said. "As a team we've done what we wanted but to lose Michael, I think is devastating for every one of us and the team."

Asked if Owen might miss the rest of the tournament, Eriksson said, "Maybe, we don't know yet."
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