Ireland 1-1 Sweden: Ciaran Clark's own goal at Euro 2016

The Republic of Ireland put in a solid performance against Sweden in their first match at UEFA Euro 2016, but Martin O'Neill's side had to settle for a 1-1 draw. The Green Army were the more active team in the first half. Experienced centre-back John O'Shea just failed to reach a fine cross into the box. Jeff Hendrick made two good attempts on Andreas Isaksson's goal, and Brady also tried his luck, sending his shot over the bar. Hendrick was even denied by the crossbar. The Swedes were happy to reach half-time at 0-0.

Just three minutes after the break, Seamus Coleman showed great skill, beating Swedish midfielder Forsberg on the right and delivering a perfect cross. The 34-year-old Wesley Hoolahan was completely unmarked in the box and sent a lovely shot into the net. 1-0.

Sweden needed around 50 minutes to show they could threaten Darren Randolph, and before the 70th minute they had managed only a few corners. Finding Randolph's net looked a serious problem for them. Aston Villa's Ciaran Clark was the only man threatening the Irish goal. His panicked clearance gave away a corner in the 49th minute, and from the cross Clark again hit the ball towards his own goal; Randolph reacted superbly, tipping it away to Forsberg, who shot wide. Ibrahimović also tried his luck from a difficult angle in the 60th minute without finding the net. The man who left Ibrahimović free to take that shot was, once again, Ciaran Clark.

In the 71st minute Ibrahimović passed back to Källström, who found Forsberg. He played the ball to Guidetti in the box, Guidetti back-heeled it to Ibrahimović, and the forward drove in a powerful cross. Goal. Ciaran Clark scored an own goal, effectively becoming Sweden's man of the match. The defender produced the only two shots on target for Sweden in the game and scored with one of them.

O'Neill now has to think carefully about whether to play Clark against Italy or Belgium, and if he does, perhaps remind him which goal to attack. All the same, the Green Army performed very well against Sweden and should take confidence into the key games against Italy and Belgium.

Background

The match was played at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on 13 June 2016, the opening fixture for both sides in Group E. Wes Hoolahan's goal came in the 48th minute and Clark's own goal in the 71st. On the same day Italy beat Belgium 2-0 in Lyon with goals from Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pellè, which made the rest of the group even harder for both Ireland and Sweden.

How the group ended

Ireland's second match brought a heavy defeat. Belgium won 3-0 in Bordeaux on 18 June, with Romelu Lukaku scoring twice and Axel Witsel once. Everything then depended on the last game against Italy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq on 22 June, and Ireland won it 1-0 thanks to Robbie Brady's goal five minutes from time. With four points, Ireland finished third behind Italy and Belgium and went through as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Sweden did not progress. They lost 1-0 to Italy in Toulouse, where Éder scored in the 88th minute, and 1-0 to Belgium in Nice, where Radja Nainggolan struck in the 84th. They finished bottom of the group with one point, the draw against Ireland. Before the Belgium game Zlatan Ibrahimović had announced that he would retire from international football after the tournament, and the defeat in Nice was his 116th appearance for Sweden.

The round of 16

Ireland's reward was a meeting with the hosts, France, in Lyon on 26 June 2016. Brady gave them a dream start, scoring from the penalty spot in the second minute after Paul Pogba had fouled Shane Long. Antoine Griezmann turned the game with two goals in four minutes, in the 57th and 61st, and Shane Duffy was sent off in the 66th minute for a foul on Griezmann. France won 2-1 and Ireland's tournament was over.