England must work on defending set pieces-Eriksson

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

COLOGNE, June 20 (Reuters) England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said his team badly needed to improve their defending at set pieces after conceding two goals from them in an exciting 2-2 draw with Sweden in Group B today.

England looked on course to break their 38-year win drought against the Swedes before striker Henrik Larsson touched the ball home from a long throw to earn Eriksson's countrymen a share of the points in the 90th minute.

The Swedes still had to settle for second place in the group behind England and on Saturday will play Germany, who topped Group A by beating Ecuador 3-0 earlier on Tuesday. England will take on the South Americans on Sunday.

''We didn't defend well at set pieces. We will have to work on that before the next game. Sweden are very strong at that but anyhow, we have to do that better in the future,'' Eriksson said.

''We did well in the first half but then Sweden did better in the second half and they scored from two set pieces... of course we have to do better because we cannot concede goals like that.'' ''But the most important thing was to win the group and I'm very happy about that. That's what we wanted to do.'' Asked about Wayne Rooney, who was clearly angry at being substituted midway through the second half, Eriksson said: ''I think he was more upset with himself, that he didn't play as well as he wanted to in the second half.

''But he's getting better and better and he played for longer than he did last time and he will play better and better. I took him off because I can't risk him getting injured.'' Sweden coach Lars Lagerback said England were the better team in the first half when they took a 1-0 lead through a magnificent Joe Cole volley but felt his side dominated the second period.

''England played very well in the first half,'' Lagerback said. ''We wanted to win the ball too early and lost many one-on-one situations. It was better in the second half.

''We almost deserved three points. We were the better team in the second half.'' REUTERS PDS BST0330

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