|
|
Group
4 After two draws in their opening matches against Latvia and Hungary, it seemed unlikely that Sweden would win UEFA EURO 2004 Group 4 with a match to spare, but five straight victories booked their place in Portugal with Latvia pipping Poland and Hungary in an exciting race for the play-off berth.
While Poland beat San Marino 2-0, Sweden began with a 0-0 draw in Latvia and it was the former Soviet Republic who began to set the pace as they triumphed 1-0 in Poland as the Swedes were drawing 1-1 with Hungary. A second-half hat-trick from substitute Zoltán Gera then gave Hungary a 3-0 victory against San Marino, but it was Latvia who ended 2002 in first place as they won 1-0 away to the group minnows - though only after Carlo Valentini's last-minute own goal denied the Sanmarinese their first UEFA European Championship point.
When the group resumed in March, Hungary put up a tremendous rearguard action to draw 0-0 in Poland, who four days later reinvigorated their campaign by beating San Marino 5-0, while Sweden returned to action with a 2-1 win in Budapest. Then at the end of April, Latvia moved three points clear of Poland as they overcame San Marino 3-0. In June, though, Latvia were defeated 3-1 in Hungary - having led at half-time - while Mattias Jonson's hat-trick helped Sweden beat San Marino 6-0. Four days later, the Swedes took first place as they saw off Poland 3-0 and Hungary won 5-0 in San Marino.
Sweden ended San Marino's campaign in September with a 5-0 defeat, while Latvia stumbled again as they lost 2-0 at home to a revived Poland side. Clearly the 10 September encounters were to be crucial, with Sweden visiting Poland and Latvia welcoming Hungary. And the results could not have worked out better for the Swedes, who had already heard of Latvia's 3-1 success as they secured a 2-0 victory, giving them an unassailable four-point lead with only one game left.
On the final day Latvia handed the Swedes their first qualification defeat since 1997 by winning 1-0 in Stockholm to clinch the play-off spot, meaning Poland's 2-1 win in Hungary was in vain. However the joy of the Latvians' first top-two finish in a qualification tournament was tempered by a tough play-off draw that paired them with Turkey.
- UEFA.com
| San
Marino |
0-2 |
Poland |
07/09/02 |
| |
Kaszorowski
76
Kukielka 88 |
| Latvia |
0-0 |
Sweden |
07/09/02 |
| |
|
| Sweden |
1-1 |
Hungary |
12/10/02 |
| Ibrahimovic
76 |
Kenesei
5 |
| Poland |
0-1 |
Latvia |
12/10/02 |
| |
Laizans
30 |
| Hungary |
3-0 |
San
Marino |
16/10/02 |
| Gera
39, 62, 88 |
|
| San
Marino |
0-1 |
Latvia |
20/11/02 |
| |
Valentini
og 90 |
| Poland |
0-0 |
Hungary |
29/03/03 |
| |
|
| Poland |
5-0 |
San
Marino |
02/04/03 |
Szymkowiak
3
Kosowski 27
Kuzba 55, 90
Karwan 80 |
|
| Hungary |
1-2 |
Sweden |
02/04/03 |
| Lisztes
65 |
Allback
34, 67 |
| Latvia |
3-0 |
San
Marino |
30/04/03 |
Prohorenkovs
10
Bleidelis 21, 75 |
|
| Hungary |
3-1 |
Latvia |
07/06/03 |
Szabics
53, 59
Gera 88 |
Beck
20 |
| San
Marino |
0-6 |
Sweden |
07/06/03 |
| |
Jonson
16, 59, 66
Allback 52, 84
Ljungberg 55 |
| Sweden |
3-0 |
Poland |
11/06/03 |
Svensson
15, 70
Allback 43 |
|
| San
Marino |
0-5 |
Hungary |
11/06/03 |
| |
Boor
3
Lisztes 20, 80
Kenesei 59
Szabics 76 |
| Latvia |
0-2 |
Poland |
06/09/03 |
| |
Klos
36
Szymkowiak 39 |
| Sweden |
5-0
|
San
Marino |
06/09/03 |
Jonson
33
Jakobsson 49
Ibrahimovic 56, pen 83
Kallstrom pen 68 |
|
| Poland |
0-2 |
Sweden |
10/09/03 |
| |
Nilsson
2
Mellberg 36 |
| Latvia |
3-1 |
Hungary |
10/09/03 |
Verpakovskis
38, 51
Astafjevs 43
|
Lisztes
52 |
| Sweden |
0-1 |
Latvia |
11/10/03 |
| |
Verpakovskis
23 |
| Hungary |
1-2 |
Poland |
11/10/03 |
| Szabics
48 |
Niedzielan
10, 23 |
|
