Camara on form for Senegal - report

Sweden 1 Senegal 1

Henri Camara’s first World Cup goal hauled Senegal level as Sweden wilted in the heat of Oita after taking an early lead through Celtic striker Henrik Larsson.

Freddie Ljungberg failed in his late bid to make a return to the Sweden side for the World Cup second-round clash with Senegal in Oita.

Ljungberg was able to train for the first time in a week yesterday, albeit not at full pace, following a recurrence of an ongoing hip injury which is currently wrecking his tournament dreams.

The Arsenal midfield star had been limping and was in pain in the early part of the week due to what team doctor Magnus Forssblad has described as ‘‘a locking’’ of the joint.

Although that eased and Ljungberg was initially able to enjoy pool exercises before joining his team-mates at the impressive Big Eye Stadium yesterday, he ultimately failed a late fitness test.

It meant coaches Tommy Soderberg and Lars Lagerback naming an unchanged team from the one which dramatically drew with Argentina on Wednesday, a result which confirmed Sweden’s place in the last 16.

Senegal, bidding to become only the second African side to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament, with Cameroon the initial trailblazers at Italia 90, were forced into one definite change.

Coach Bruno Metsu was again without Salif Diao, completing a two-match ban, but also Khalilou Fadiga after the key midfielder picked up his second booking of the competition in the enthralling 3-3 draw with Uruguay.

With Alassane Ndour dropped to the bench, Metsu drafted in Amdy Faye from Auxerre and Pape Thiaw, the Strasbourg striker making his tournament debut.

The beat of the African drums from a small group of Senegalese fans at one end of the stadium was relentless, but it was Sweden who should have taken the early lead.

After Tobias Linderoth had seen a 25-yard half-volley comfortably saved by Tony Sylva in the third minute, it was Southampton’s Anders Svensson who then created the next chance.

A free-kick 10 yards outside the Senegal area was played out wide to Olof Mellberg for the Aston Villa defender to drive in a first-time shot which the outstretched right leg of Sylva stabbed away.

The ball kindly fell to Magnus Svensson, but with the goal gaping he sidefooted the rebound well wide much to his disgust.

Senegal settled and soon responded in the ninth minute with Thiaw, playing behind the front two, running onto Omar Daf’s long ball but ultimately lifting his shot over the crossbar.

On arguably the hottest day of the tournament so far, the ice-cool Swedes then took an 11th-minute lead, with Celtic’s Henrik Larsson grabbing his third goal of the tournament.

Anders Svensson swung in a corner which Larsson headed home into the bottom right-hand corner, beating Sylva to the punch and with the ball evading the attention of captain Aliou Cisse on the line.

Senegal should have had a penalty moments later when Andreas Jakobsson clearly bundled El Hadji Diouf off the ball inside the area, but Paraguayan referee Ubaldo Aquino waved away appeals.

Sweden then played with 10 men for four minutes after Everton’s Niclas Alexandersson suffered a clash of heads with Daf, resulting in the winger requiring treatment in the dressing room.

In his absence Senegalese celebrations were stifled by Canadian linesman Hector Vergara whose raised flag prevented Papa Bouba Diop scoring his fourth goal in four games as he was judged to be marginally offside in turning home Diouf’s low ball.

Alexandersson then returned in the 28th minute with his head bandaged.

Sweden had their own spot-kick shout in the 34th minute when Marcus Allback fell under the challenge of Daf, but this time Aquino was correct in not awarding the penalty.

At that stage Senegal were controlling the pace of the game and they deservedly equalised in the 37th minute courtesy of a stunning goal from Henri Camara.

The Sedan striker first delightfully chest-trapped Diouf’s chipped through ball, his first touch allowing him to sidestep away from Sweden skipper Johan Mjallby, while his second was a crisp 20-yard drive beyond Magnus Hedman.

Camara should have had a second three minutes later as he was left totally unmarked just seven yards out in meeting Faye’s left-wing cross, but he glanced his header well wide.

Anders Svensson, free-kick hero against Argentina, then came close to repeating the feat against Senegal as he brilliantly curled a 25-yarder round the wall, but with the ball heading for the top left-hand corner, Sylva pulled off a superb save.