‘They aren’t a one-man team’

SHAY GIVEN feels Sweden’s 3-0 win over Wales came at just the right time to provide Ireland players with a timely reminder that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be their only threat tomorrow evening.

Winger Emil Forsberg looked particularly dangerous on the left flank, scoring the first before Mikael Lustig and John Guidetti sealed victory in their final warmup friendly ahead of the Euros.

‘There’s not much between either side I don’t think. We can’t focus on just Ibrahimovic as they showed against Wales last weekend there are three other goalscorers and he wasn’t one of them. So we know it’s two squads similarly balanced and whoever performs best on the day I think will get the win,’ Given said.

‘They’re well organised, good on set-plays, big part of their game as well, obviously he’s the key man, he’s their leader and a lot of stuff goes through him but they’ve got other players as well and we can’t just focus on him.

‘It’s hard to talk about Sweden and not talk about Ibrahimovic because he’s a worldclass player, but we can’t just focus on him, we have to have our own game plan, we have to create problems for them and dealing with him when he comes into our third of the pitch, but we have to be ready for their other players as well.’

After the weeks of preparation, the 40-year-old, who will likely be on the bench with Darren Randolph in goal, won’t have long to wait as Ireland’s Euro 16 finally kicks off.

‘It’s a major tournament, we’re all excited before it and we want to go out there and do well, and do the country proud.

‘It’s on a bit of an up, the country, hopefully we can add to that,’ says Given (above). ‘That’s what we tried to do four years ago and that’s what we try to do every time we play for Ireland. You want to have a good feeling among the fans.’