England aim to improve on 2005

Four years ago, hosts England lost 1-0 to Sweden when they only needed a point to get out of the group stage; now they again are looking for at least a draw.

• Hope Powell's side bounced back from their 2-1 loss to Italy by seeing off Russia 3-2 in Helsinki, and once again they experienced a difficult evening. Having played over an hour with ten players against the Azzurre, England fell behind to a Ksenia Tsybutovich header after just two minutes, before Olesya Kurochkina left them reeling 20 minutes later. Karen Carney sparked the revival by scoring two minutes after that and she set Eniola Aluko up on 32 minutes, with Kelly Smith then hitting a stunning winner from the centre circle three minutes before the interval.

• That gave England their first three points of the tournament, leaving them third behind Italy on head-to-head and knowing that a draw against Sweden will take them through – either in second, to face Germany in Lahti on 4 September, or as one of the two best third-placed teams, to face Finland in Turku the night before. They could win the group with a win, though it would need to be by a two-goal margin if Italy defeat Russia.

• Sweden have already qualified, on the other hand, having followed up their 3-0 win over Russia by overcoming Italy 2-0, Lotta Schelin hitting the target after nine minutes before cutting the ball back for Kosovare Asllani to convert ten minutes later.

• To be certain of clinching the group and setting up a quarter-final meeting with the third-placed side in Group A or Group B on 4 September at the Helsinki Football Stadium, Sweden need only secure a draw, though they could afford a one-goal loss should Italy win.

• Following the triumph over Russia, England coach Powell indicated that centre-back Anita Asante had been unfit to feature due to the knee injury she suffered against Italy.

• She will nonetheless have left-back Casey Stoney available again following her red card against the Azzurre, while Fara Williams faces suspension if she collects another booking.

• Nilla Fischer is the only Swedish player one yellow card away from a one-match ban.

• Going into the game between these two sides on 11 June 2005 in Blackburn, England had only just missed out on the chance to go through with a match to spare when a 1-0 lead against Denmark turned into a 2-1 defeat, leaving them needing to beat Sweden to be sure of progress. Sweden knew a draw would be enough but took a third-minute lead through Anna Sjöström and finished top of the group, while England bowed out of the competition to the disappointment of the 25,694-strong crowd.

• The teams were:
England: Rachel Brown, Alex Scott, Faye White, Mary Phillip, Rachel Unitt, Karen Carney (Amanda Barr), Katie Chapman, Kelly Smith, Fara Williams, Rachel Yankey, Eniola Aluko.
Sweden: Hedvig Lindahl, Jane Törnqvist, Hanna Marklund, Kristin Bengtsson, (Karolina Westberg), Sara Larsson, Therese Sjögran, Caroline Seger (Frida Östberg), Anna Sjöström, Malin Moström, Hanna Ljungberg, Victoria Svensson (Josefine Öqvist).

• Sweden have been the dominant team in matches between these nations, winning 12 games to England's one with six draws, and leading the goal count 30-12.

• Their first match was on 15 June 1975, a 2-0 Sweden win in Gothenburg. Their first competitive encounters in a major competition was in the final of the inaugural UEFA Competition for National Representative Women Teams in 1984; Sweden won the first leg in Gothenburg 1-0 on 21 May 1984 but six days later in rainy Luton, England secured their sole victory against their rivals by the same scoreline. Sweden prevailed 4-3 on penalties to take the title.

• Sweden repeated the trick three years later with a 3-2 semi-final win after extra time in Moss, Norway. In the teams' only other competitive meeting before 2005, the Scandinavian side defeated England 4-0 in the 2001 group stage with goals from Lisa Törnqvist, Kristin Bengtsson, Hanna Ljungberg and Victoria Svensson.

• The teams were:
Sweden: Caroline Jönsson, Hanna Marklund, Karoline Westberg, Jane Törnqvist, Sofia Eriksson, Tina Nordlund, Malin Moström, Malin Andersson (Linda Fagerström), Kristin Bengtsson (Therese Sjögran), Hanna Ljungberg, Elin Flyborg (Victoria Svensson).
England: Pauline Cope, Danielle Murphy, Mo Marley, Katie Chapman, Rachel Unitt, Karen Burke, Becky Easton (Kelly Smith), Samantha Britton, Tara Proctor (Marieanne Spacey), Sue Smith (Rachel Yankey), Angela Banks.

• Since 2005 these teams have played three times, all on winter camps in Cyprus. On 7 February 2006 in Larnaca they drew 0-0, ending Sweden's run of eight straight wins against England, and two days later it was 1-1 in Achnas, Maria Aronsson's early goal cancelled out after the break by Rachel Unitt. On 12 February 2008 Sweden prevailed 2-0 in Larnaca to stretch their unbeaten run against England to eleven games, Lotta Schelin scoring late in each half.

• The teams for that last meeting were:
England: Siobhan Chamberlain, Alex Scott (Jodie Handley), Faye White (Laura Bassett), Mary Phillip, Casey Stoney (Rachel Unitt), Anita Asante, Jill Scott (Eniola Aluko), Fara Williams, Karen Carney (Sue Smith; Lindsay Johnson), Kelly Smith (Emily Westwood), Rachel Yankey.
Sweden: Hedvig Lindahl, Anna Paulson, Sara Larsson, Stina Segerström, Sara Thunebro, Frida Östberg (Maria Karlsson), Lisa Dahlqvist, Nilla Fischer (Linda Sembrandt), Frida Nordin (Maria Nordbrandt), Lotta Schelin, Jessica Landström (Madelaine Edlund).

• Amanda Barr scored the only goal as Powell's England defeated Sweden in a UEFA European Women's Under-18 Championship third qualifying round game in April 2001. Two years later, Alex Scott and Fara Williams got the goals as the Swedes were defeated 2-1 in the final tournament group stage of what was by then a U19 event.

• Sweden have never failed to be among the last eight of this tournament and have missed out on the semi-finals only twice. After the 1984 win against England they lost the 1987 final to Norway and finished third in 1989.

• Sweden were involved in the first match in the history of the original European competition, winning 6-0 away to Finland in Vammala on 18 August 1982.

• In the UEFA European Women's Championship era, they departed in the two-legged quarter-finals in 1991 and 1993 but reached the finals in 1995 and 2001, losing both games losing to Germany, and the last four in 1997 and 2005. Germany also beat them in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup final, Sweden's best run in the global event.

• Four Sweden stalwarts who appeared in qualifying have since retired from the scene: goalkeeper Caroline Jönsson, defender Frida Östberg and forwards Therese Lundin and Hanna Ljungberg.

• Sweden had the better of the UEFA Women's Cup quarter-final meeting between these nations' leading clubs on 6 and 12 November 2008 as Umeå IK defeated Arsenal LFC 8-3 on aggregate to avenge their 2006/07 final loss to the Gunners, when Alex Scott scored the only goal of the tie in the away first leg.

• In last season's encounter Arsenal won the first leg 3-2 but lost 6-0 in northern Sweden thanks to four goals from Marta on her Umeå swansong.

• For Umeå, Anna Paulson and Lisa Dahlqvist started the two games. Arsenal fielded Alex Scott, Kelly Smith, Karen Carney and Katie Chapman for each match while Faye White was a second-leg substitutes. Laura Bassett was on the Arsenal bench for both legs.

• Two players for American club Saint Louis Athletica could be matched: England forward Eniola Aluko and Sweden defender Sara Larsson.