© EuroFootball.com
Swedish national team striker Zlatan Ibrahimović admitted that he needed luck to score the equalizer against the Italian national team.
In the Group C match on Friday, coached by Giovanni Trapattoni, the Italians confidently dominated the field after the first half, had a one-goal lead, and seemed to secure all three points. However, with five minutes left until the end of the match, Amsterdam striker Zlatan Ibrahimović, after bypassing goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, sent the ball into the net with his heel.
"I scored a lucky goal, but at the same time it was also unforgettable, one of the most beautiful and important, especially because it was scored in the European Championship. The ball flew through the air, and we were practicing shooting in front of the goal in one touch, but I was lucky," said Ibrahimović.
His teammate and attacking partner Henrik Larsson praised him: "The goal he scored was excellent and we are very happy with the draw. We are pleased with the earned point, and that goal was beautiful. Zlatan deserved it, he is a great player."
Meanwhile, Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni was not very happy with his goalkeeper's performance: "My boys did what they could. We had several chances, and then we collapsed. Sweden mostly played on the wings. They got the draw because Buffon made a mistake."
Buffon himself praised the Swedish striker: "Ibrahimović scored a fantastic goal. He managed to send the ball into the top corner of the goal with his heel. In that move, there was not only luck, but also a lot of talent. We failed to take advantage of many opportunities and wasted a lot of energy in the first half. Anyway, Sweden is a great team, and we played well. We can still make it to the next stage."
