Bendtner: Denmark Can Reach Euro 2016

Sweden defeated Denmark 2-1 in the first leg of a 2016 European Championship playoff on Saturday and Nicolai Joergensen’s late goal gave the Danes hope for the return match next week.

Ibrahimovic would add his first goal against Sweden’s near neighbours, in addition to his eight in as many appearances during the group stage, after 50 minutes when Forsberg won a penalty.

But Ukraine, who made their Euro finals debut in 2012 as co-hosts of the tournament, have lost in five previous qualifying play-offs for major tournaments, their last against France two years ago.

During the break, the big screen at Friends Arena showed replays of the four goals Ibrahimović grabbed against England on the stadium’s opening night three years ago.

Denmark’s Thomas Kahlenberg, left, and Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic…

Zlatan’s second goal in the game was the stunning free-kick above, and he had a message for all of Denmark after the game.

With time and space, you’d have backed the frontman to knock the ball in, but Kasper Schmeichel saved brilliantly with his legs to keep the ball out and keep his side in the contest.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have taken to social networking site Twitter to have their say on the performance of Christian Eriksen for Denmark on Saturday evening. We chose to change things around and it gave us options in the second half.

Ibrahimovic, who plays his club football in Paris for local club Paris Saint-Germain, said that he was quite shaken after hearing reports of the attacks.

Poulsen pulled one back 10 minutes remaining, and the Parken crowd were on their feet as Vestergaard bundled home from a chaotic corner kick.