Sweden hoping to get back to winning ways

Sweden's World Cup is threatening to unravel

Sweden's World Cup is threatening to unravel. Against Trinidad last Saturday, they seemed to reserve their passion and aggression for the dressingroom afterwards, with Swedish management quick to dampen reports of a full blown bust up between Freddy Ljungberg and Olof Mellberg.

Their frustration is understandable. After qualifying smoothly, the Swedes have been afflicted with an ill-timed dip in synchronicity, failing to win any of their games so far this year. Another draw today would assure England victory in this group, assuming Sven Goran Eriksson's men don't bottle it against Trinidad this afternoon.

Sweden need to win here and Zlatan Ibrahimovic promised that they can right their tournament in this match. Goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson is almost certainly to return in favour of Rami Shaaban. The talking point has been the decision by coach Lars Lagerback to go with Andres Svensson in central midfield instead of Kim Kallstrom, whom most Swedes want to see back in the team.

Paraguay can consider themselves unfortunate to lose goalkeeper Justo Villa to an early injury against England, not to mention suffering an own goal through Carlos Gamarra, one of Paraguay's most impressive performers. Those successive setbacks were major distractions for Anibal Ruiz's team but they did not capitulate against one of the most glamorous teams in the tournament. Roque Santa Cruz is the focal point of their attacking game and although the Swedes are under intense pressure to start scoring again, the volatile Mellberg and company will need to keep an eye on "BabyGol". It would be nice to see Henrick Larsson light up this tournament in the twilight of his career and Berlin could be his best opportunity.

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Probable line-upsSweden (4-4-2)

Referee: Michel Lubos (Slovakia)

Kick-off: 8.0pm

Venue: Olympiastadion, Berlin

On TV: RTÉ 2 and UTV

Isaksson; Nilsson, Mellberg, Lucic, Edman; Linderoth, Ljungberg, Wilhelmsson, Kallstrom; Ibrahimovic, Larsson

Coach: Lars Lagerback

Paraguay (4-4-2)

Bobadilla; Caniza, Caceres, Gamarra, Nunez; Bonet, Acuna, Paredes, Riveros; Santa Cruz, Haedo Valdez

Coach: Anibal Ruiz

Keith Duggan

Keith Duggan

Keith Duggan is Washington Correspondent of The Irish Times