Magic man Ibrahimovic Zlatan hits stunning propeller-kick - the greatest goal EVER?
Destroyed by the great under-achiever, battered by the man nobody in Britain really believed in.
But while Zlatan Ibrahimovic put England to the sword last night, transforming everything in the space of 13 unforgettable minutes, Roy Hodgson’s first defeat was not a disaster.
The truth is that friendlies are just that – experiments, nights of discovery.
This was always supposed to be about the men who started, who played the majority of the game, rather than the ones who were left bewildered by the stunning finish.
While Joe Hart’s display was one the Manchester City keeper will recall with a shudder, sloppy from the outset and punished by the sheer brilliance of Ibrahimovic, he remains a player Hodgson will not doubt.
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Hodgson is surely, also, right to feel that if he had kept the inspirational Steven Gerrard – terrific as he joined the 100 Club – as well as Raheem Sherling, debut scorer Steven Caulker and Glen Johnson on the pitch, England would have seen it out.
After three quarters of this game, with Gerrard outstanding, Sterling showing he has courage to match his precocious talent, Danny Welbeck always dangerous and Caulker and Johnson showing real resilience, there was only one winner.
England, flakey early on as Leon Osman initially struggled before hinting he can have a future, had shown genuine qualities.
And if Hodgson deems that Ryan Shawcross and Carl Jenkinson were promoted too early, that he needs more time to look at Wilfried Zaha, then that was something he needed to learn as well.
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Sterling’s obvious weakness, his lack of physicality – the Swedes sought to impose themselves from the outset – had been punished on 20 minutes.
Blackburn’s Martin Olsson was too strong for the teenager, who was left an onlooker as the defender’s powerful run and cross was converted at the second attempt by Ibrahimovic, after Caulker had blocked his first effort.
Hart, way off his best, got away with a horror mix-up with Gary Cahill as Mathias Rangie spooned over but before the break England were ahead.
Sterling’s strength of character began to emerge, demanding the ball, committing his men, offloading at the right time and the Liverpool teenager had a hand in both the goals that put England ahead.
The leveller came when Sterling, determined to grasp his chance, carried the ball and found Ashley Young with the chance to run at his marker on the left.
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Young duly responded, killing Mikael Lustig and serving up on a plate for Welbeck to volley home his fifth England goal – making him the Three Lions’ top scorer of 2012 – from a few yards.
Three minutes later, England were in front.
Sterling was fouled by Olsson, Gerrard delivered and Caulker was on hand to nudge home.
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It made the Spurs defender the first England debut scorer since David Nugent against Andorra in 2007 although Caulker soon made an equally important contribution to deflect Ibrahimovic’s close-range effort wide.
England were now in command, Gerrard spreading the play, Sterling and Young stretching the Swedes out wide, Osman increasingly influential.
Welbeck, Osman twice and Gerrard, also twice, might have put the game beyond the home side, unable to rouse much frenzy from the first crowd inside the Friends Arena.
But Hodgson’s decision – understandable and right in the circumstances – to ring the changes saw everything altered.
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Jack Wilshere will benefit from his half-hour back in the fold but the arrivals of Jenkinson, Shawcross and Tom Huddlestone, with Gerrard, Caulker and Johnson departing, brought total disruption.
Punished, brutally and brilliantly, by Ibrahimovic, who immediately levelled as he ran behind Shawcross to chest down from Anders Svensson and ram home.
If that was good, what followed was even better, a stunning low free-kick round the wall – more questions for Hart – before Zaha became the 44th played used by Hodgson in his 12 games.
And then the moment of genius when the keeper came out of his box to head clear.
Only a true great could have manoeuvred his body to loop the ball back over Hart and the desperate Shawcross. And Ibrahimovic has that sheer quality.
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An incredible finish and the ultimate one-man show, a display that may, just may, have convinced the many Premier League doubters.
Hard to believe any of Hodgson’s men could have pulled that one off.
Yet even in defeat, England, may have gained more in the longer term.
Sterling, Caulker and Osman had reason to smile. So, despite his disappointment, did Hodgson.
MONTENEGRO jumped above England at the top of their World Cup qualifying group after a routine 3-0 win over San Marino.
A double blast from Andrija Delibasic, plus another strike from Elsad Zverotic, helped the hosts cruise to victory.
Montenegro now lead Group H with 10 points from four games. The Three Lions are two points behind from the same number of games, with both sides yet to meet on the road to Brazil 2014.
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