Sweden 2 France 0 !

VIC-TORY ROLL ... Zlatan Ibrahimovic clebrates his clincher

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC and Sebastian Larsson thumped the volleys that condemned dismal France to a Euro 2012 quarter-final with favourites Spain.

 

The lame, tame French rarely threatened before Ibrahimovic's incredible 54th minute scissor-strike - then Larsson sealed Sweden's first points of the group in stoppage time.
That meant France finished runners-up behind England - and now face the tournament top-dogs, whereas the Three Lions take on Italy.
Ola Toivonen and Larsson headed clear chances wide for the fast-starting Swedes inside the first four minutes.
But Karim Benzema's deft work soon fed French midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa for a shot fired just wide of the near post.

SO CLOSE ... Ola Toivonen rounds France keeper Hugo Lloris but hits a post

By far the clearest chance of the first half, though, fell to Toivonen on 10 minutes. The busy frontman bundled past the meek defending of Philippe Mexes, went round keeper Hugo Lloris and slotted against the near upright from an acute angle.
France gradually overturned Sweden's more confident approach but lacked both urgency and genuine threat.
Nonetheless, Franck Ribery wriggled into space just before the interval, only to lash a 20-yarder wide.
Benzema then darted inside to curl wide when France began the second period brightly.

RAMMED ... Matthieu Debuchy bundles into Swedish forward Emir Bajrami

But the French succumbed to the first, and perhaps only, true moment of pure class - Ibrahimovic swivelling for a glorious bottom corner finish.
Lloris promptly thwarted Olof Mellberg's flick as Sweden continued to break in numbers against below-par France.
But Florent Malouda helped up the tempo late on for the team who began the match as group favourites.
And it was the Chelsea winger who teed up fellow sub Jeremy Menez for a left-footer well saved by Andreas Isaksson.

TAKE ZLAT ... Zlatan Ibrahimovic volleys his glory goal

Then Oliver Giroud somehow thumped a header wide from just six yards.
But on 92 minutes Larsson showed exactly how to finish a loose ball - lashing home following a half-cleared corner to send the Swedes home with a much-needed lift.