World Cup qualifiers: Sweden fightback stuns Germany

Sweden staged an extraordinary
comeback in their World Cup
qualifier with Germany, fighting back
from 4-0 down with 30 minutes left to
draw 4-4.
Rasmus Elm scored Sweden's equaliser
in Berlin in the 93rd minute, ending
Germany's 100% record in Group C.
Spain were also denied victory by a
stoppage-time goal, with a 94th-minute
header by Olivier Giroud in Madrid
rescuing a point for France in Group I.
Sergio Ramos had put Spain ahead
from a Xavi corner in the first half.
The world and European champions
had missed a chance to extend their
lead when France keeper Hugo Lloris
saved a Cesc Fabregas penalty just
before half-time.
But the biggest surprise of the night
was seeing Germany fail to secure
victory, after holding a four-goal lead,
for the first time in their history.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mikael Lustig and
Johan Elmander scored in the space of
14 minutes, before Elm's opportunistic
strike completed an unlikely fightback.
"It was still a strange feeling in the
dressing room, it's not every day on the
international stage that you come back
for a 4-4 draw having been 4-0 down,"
Sweden boss Erik Hamren said.
"To come to Germany and get a point
against one of the best teams in the
world is incredible. It is something
historical, I am very proud of my team
and the way they reacted."
Germany boss Joachim Loew described
a very different mood in his camp, and
said he was left stunned by his side's
uncharacteristic collapse.
"To sum things up, the first 60 minutes
were brilliant from us, the last 30 were
incredibly weak," Loew said.
"Honestly, shortly after the game I can
find no explanation as to how we let a
4-0 lead slip out of our hands. It's
deathly quiet in the changing room.
Players are laid out on the benches and
are totally speechless."
The Netherlands and Russia are now
the only European nations to hold
perfect winning records in this
qualifying campaign.
The Dutch clinched an impressive away
win over Romania, who had been their
nearest rivals in Group D, with Robin
van Persie's late goal rounding off a 4-1
victory in Bucharest.
But Fabio Capello's Russia needed a
late penalty to see off Azerbaijan in
Group F despite dominating their match
in Moscow.
Roman Shirokov scored their winner
from the spot, following a foul on
substitute Vladimir Bystrov. TV replays
showed the foul on Bystrov was
committed outside the area.
Scotland slipped to bottom of Group A
after they lost to Belgium and
Macedonia saw off Serbia to secure
their first victory and climb to fourth
place, above both Craig Levein's side
and Wales.
Italy lead the way in Group B, seeing
off Denmark 3-1 in Milan with goals
from Riccardo Montolivo, Daniele De
Rossi and Mario Balotelli, despite having
Pablo Osvaldo sent off at the start of the
second half.
In Group E, Switzerland stay top after
beating Iceland in Reykjavik, while
Greece and Bosnia are in control of
Group G after wins over Slovakia and
Lithuania respectively.
The postponement of England's game
in Poland in Group H allowed
Montenegro to move level on points
with Roy Hodgson's side at the top of
the group, after their 1-0 win in Ukraine.