Sweden - Greece

Patience rewarded. The Olympian forces of Greece's central defense and the negative tactics of their midfield did not frustrate this Sweden. While Italy's age and experience seems to have left them jaded, slow and distracted, Sweden's age and experience have provided them with the perspective and acumen to wait, wait, wait and break down the opposition when it best suits them. And how good is Mellberg and the Stade Rennais defender, Petter Hansson in that back line? The U-Boat navigator incarnate and his partner marshall a defense certainly as good as the venerable Greeks. Isaksson did not look a bit rusty from lack of Man City action. The return of Larsson, while providing a whiff of controversy, proved prescient as his industry and abilities (oh, that give and go he put together) were on display most of the evening. It was especially gratifying to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic slash in the opener, exploiting a rare, gaping seam, thus silencing the critics who doubted his big match cred (did you see that Andy Gray?).