“Three-nil is better than the last time we played them,” says Aiden McGeady with a thin smile, as he searches for the positives from Ireland’s latest encounter with a Germany side he reckons is “right up there” with the very best in world football.

GROUP C RESULT: Sweden 5 (Ljungberg 31, Larsson 56, 58, Ibrahimovich (pen) 78, Allback 90) Bulgaria 0.