Euro 2008 Report: Sweden 2-0 Greece

Game eight of the tournament saw the reigning Champions enter the fray and once again make us wonder just how on Earth they won this thing four years ago.

An awful and negative display by the Greeks disappointed but didn't surprise us. Luckily the Swedes came out and tried to play football, which got all the neutrals on their side. It was summed up perfectly by the ever-improving Jim Beglin on ITV, who stated that even though they have to be neutral, the way the Greeks were playing led to him hoping the Swedes would score and win.

Greece won Euro 2004 in the same style and clearly decided to stick to what they know. A negative style, with lots of passing amongst the back four, very few fluent moves, trying to win free kicks and score from set pieces. Sweden just couldn't break them down for 67 minutes until a wonder goal from the erratic Zlatan Ibrahimovic broke the deadlock.

The Inter Milan striker played a neat one-two on the edge of the area with Henrik Larsson before firing a peach of a shot past the outstretched arm of Nikopolidis to give the Swedes the lead they fully deserved. It was an unerring strike from the front man, who wit that goal snapped a scoreless streak for his country that goes back all the way to 2005.

Sweden doubled their lead via a knee and backside just six minutes later. Freddie Ljungberg had been put through but failed to slot the ball past the keeper. From the rebound a ball went spiralling towards goal, the keeper, two defenders and Sweden player Peter Hansson went for the ball. After a bit of a scramble and a boot off Hannson's bum and knee, the ball found its way into the back of the net and it was game over.

Sweden look like a decent outfit and I'd be surprised if they didn't finish second in the group. If they do finish second though they'll most likely have to face the Dutch in the Quarter-Finals and I don't think anyone would be relishing that prospect at the moment. As for the Greeks, the sooner they are gone from this tournament, the better.