Skip to content

Group E round-up

Image: Kim Kallstrom: Opened the scoring for Sweden as they qualified for Euro 2012 with victory over Holand

Sweden rallied to beat Holland 3-2 in Stockholm to qualify for the Euro 2012 finals as the best-placed runners-up.

Sweden qualify for Euro 2012 as best-placed runners up

Sweden rallied to beat Holland 3-2 in Stockholm to qualify for the Euro 2012 finals as the best-placed runners-up. Kim Kallstrom's free-kick put Sweden ahead in the 14th minute after a foul on Johan Elmander before Klaas-Jan Huntelaar equalised for the visitors, heading in a cross from Erik Pieters. Holland, who had already won Group E to book a trip to Poland and Ukraine next summer, went ahead through Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt's header five minutes after the restart. But Sunderland midfielder Seb Larsson levelled from the penalty spot two minutes later and Ola Toivonen made it 3-2 shortly afterwards, sidefooting home a rebound from Elmander's shot.

Held firm

Sweden then held firm in the closing stages despite heavy pressure from the Dutch. Hungary and Finland played out a goalless draw to wrap up their unsuccessful Euro 2012 qualifying campaigns. Although Hungary began the night knowing they could still draw level on points with second-placed Sweden, an inferior head-to-head record made this a dead rubber match. Moldova cruised to a 4-0 victory over Group E whipping boys San Marino, leaving the minnows with no points and no goals from their 10 matches, in which they conceded 53 times.