Barrling backs Swedish starlets

In recent years Sweden have been second only to Germany in European women's football - it was only the Germans that beat Sweden to the 2001 UEFA European Women's Championship, 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2004 Olympic bronze, and Allsvenskan giants Umeå IK have won two of the five UEFA Women's Cup competitions.

U19 disappointment
But in the last couple of years Sweden seems to have been losing ground. Norway, who Sweden replaced as Germany's main rivals on the continent, defeated their neighbours to reach the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2005™ final. And a string of disappointments in the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship continued last night as Denmark held Calle Barrling's side 0-0 to pip them to the semi-finals, a stage the Swedes have only reached once in the last six seasons. Yet it is precisely that youth lineup that gives real hope that the generation of Hanna Ljungberg, Victoria Svensson and co will not prove a one-off.

Real hope
Sweden did not win a game in Switzerland, but nor did they lose - and the first of their three draws only came when Germany struck a late equaliser on Matchday 1. After that it was a tale of missed chances in the goalless games against Belgium and Denmark, but coach Barrling says although his team are going home today, the performances of the likes of 16-year-old winger Louise Fors and defender Michelle Lilja, 17, give real hope for the future.

'International future'
"So many girls in my team have surprised me, the younger girls especially," Barrling said. "I think many of them have an international future. It is difficult to mention just one of them. [Lilja] was making her first appearance of the tournament [against Denmark] because someone else was injured before the game. And she was one of the best players on the pitch today, I was really surprised."

Cutting edge lacking
Ironically, considering the attacking prowess Sweden has been renowned for in recent years, it was the lack of a cutting edge that cost them in this competition, despite the strength in the rest of the team including Fors - tipped in some quarters as potentially the new Ljungberg - assured centre-back Linda Sembrant and commanding goalkeeper Stéphanie Öhrström. "We are not creative enough to win games," admitted Barrling.

Rival's praise
But he can take comfort from the words of their conqueror yesterday, Denmark coach Henrik Lehm, who from their large number of meetings, including a 1-1 draw in the first qualifying round of this competition, probably knows the Sweden team almost as well as Barrling. "I must say Calle is doing a good job because compared to when we first saw them, they are much better now," Lehm said.