Per Mertesacker was among the goalscorers as Germany took an insurmountable 4-0 lead against Sweden; however Sweden had different ideas as a quartet of goals in the final half hour saw them peg back Die Mannschaaft in Berlin.
Per Mertesacker joined Olivier Giroud among the goals as he bagged Germany’s third goal against Sweden at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. In front of over 72,000 fans the gentle giant at the heart of the defence found himself with the job of scoring at the other end after good work from Thomas Muller found him unmarked with a backward header, and he rifled home to seemingly secure Germany the three points.
Die Mannschaaft added a fourth in the 56th minute when Real Madrid playmaker Mesut Ozil scored for the hosts and then the result really did seem over in tandem with a brace in the opening quarter of an hour from Lazio striker Miroslav Klose.
However what unfolded next most surely go down as one of the greatest come backs in recent international friendly as Svenska went on a rampaging comeback trail in the last half hour of the game when talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic grabbed a goal back with a deft header. Mikael Lustig of Celtic embarrassed Manuel Neuer just two minutes later before former Bolton Wanderers striker Johan Elmander pulled them to within one goal of the German side with a left-foot finish from Fulham’s Alex Kacaniklic’s driven cross and the biting of nails in Berlin became audible.
It seemed Germany had held out, until CSKA Moscow’s Rasmus Elm fired home a half volley from just inside the box to begin incredible celebrations from the Swedish faithful.
What a game!
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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