Football Association of Wales

ISO Certification

Match Report - Sweden 3 - 4 Wales

21 Aug 2007

Players

Sweden
1 Johan Dahlin
2 Jesper Westerberg
3 Matthias Bjarsmyr (c)
4 Gustav Svensson
5 Jonathan Hellstrom
6 Robert Ahman-Persson
7 Sebastian Castro-Tello
8 Denni Avdic
9 Andres Vasquez
10 Johan Oremo
11 Ola Toivonen
12 Par Hansson
13 Mikael Lustig
14 Oskar Ronningberg
15 Pontus Wernbloom
16 Rasmus Elm
17 Rawez Lawan
18 Marcus Pode
Wales
1 Owain Fon Williams
2 Darcy Blake
3 Joe Jacobson
4 Matthew Collins
5 Rhys Williams
6 Mike Williams
7 Joe Allen
8 David Edwards (c)
9 Ched Evans
10 David Cotterill
11 Shaun MacDonald
12 Arron Ramsey
14 Owain Warlow
15 Simon Church
16 Sam Vokes
17 Neil Taylor
18 Mark Bradley
21 Rhys Taylor

Substitutions

OnOffMinute
Par Hansson Johan Dahlin 46
Oskar Ronningberg Gustav Svensson 46
Pontus Wernbloom Denni Avdic 46
Rasmus Elm Andres Vasquez 64
Marcus Pode Sebastian Castro-Tello 64
Rawez Lawan Johan Oremo 69
Mikael Lustig Jesper Westerberg 77
OnOffMinute
Rhys Taylor Owain Fon Williams 46
Arron Ramsey Matthew Collins 46
Sam Vokes David Cotterill 57
Neil Taylor Rhys Taylor 57
Simon Church Ched Evans 76
Owain Warlow Joe Allen 83

Goals

SwedenMinute
Ola Toivonen (PEN) 11
Ola Toivonen (PEN) 31
Ola Toivonen 44
WalesMinute
David Cotterill 27
David Edwards 45
Sam Vokes 58
Joe Allen 61

Cards

SwedenMinute
Pontus Wernbloom 48
WalesMinute
Rhys Taylor 24
David Cotterill 35
Mike Williams 90

Officials

Referee: Svein-Erik Edvartsen (Norway)

Assistant referee 1: Kim-Thomas Haglund (Norway)

Assistant referee 2: Kim-Andre Johnsen (Norway)

4th official: Stefan Hallberg (Sweden)

Other information

Attendance:

Report: Wales won a thrilling Under 21 friendly international by 4-3 in Halstad this evening.

The game saw two squads who were new to international football at this level, and things looked bad for Wales as Sweden converted two penalties in the opening half hour through Toivonen - the first looked a harsh decision on Rhys Williams on 19 minutes (Middlesbrough), but the second was clear cut after an error by Mike Williams (Wrexham) on 31 minutes. Just before then, Wales had equalised through David Cotterill (Wigan Athletic) on 27 minutes when he shot home from 8 yards.

The Swedes looked to be in total control when they made it 3-1 after 44 minutes when Toivonen completed his hat-trick, but Wales came straight back through a scrambled goal by Luton Town's Dave Edwards on the stroke of half time, to give the boys in red hope for the second half.

Manager Brian Flynn made two half time substitutions, replacing Owain Fon Williams (Crewe Alexandra) in goal with Chelsea's Rhys Taylor and Cardiff City's Arron Ramsey took over from Swansea City's Matthew Collins.

Thirteen minutes into the second half, Wales drew level when Sam Vokes, a third substitute (for Cotterill 57m) who had only just come on to the field had a header that hit the post and rebound out to him, for him then to cooly slot the ball between the 'keeper's legs.

From then on, it was all Wales and on 61 minutes, Swansea City's talented young midfielder, Joe Allen, volleyed home a cross from the right from 8 yards out. Both teams pressed for more goals in the final thirty minutes, but that was the end of the scoring, giving Wales a moral boosting start to their season, that sees them in UEFA Under 21 action against France, Malta, Bosnia-Herzegovina.