20/06/2006

England fans ready for Sweden match

Up to 70,000 England supporters have flooded into Cologne in Germany, ahead of the team's final World Cup group stage match against Sweden.

Thousands of fans without tickets are expected to watch the game, which kicks off at 8pm at the Rheinenergie stadium, on giant television screens around the city, while millions more will be watching on television back in England.

Chancellor Gordon Brown and Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell will be among those attending the match.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's men only need a draw in Tuesday's game in order to secure the top position in Group B. They won their first two matches, beating Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago. However, England have not beaten Sweden in 11 matches.

Striker Wayne Rooney is set to start his first match in the World Cup at tonight's game. The 20-year-old suffered a broken metatarsal during a Premiership game against Chelsea in April and his participation in the World Cup looked doubtful.

However, he came on as a sub against Trinidad & Tobago and suffered no ill effects.

Speaking to 'The Sun' newspaper, ahead of the Sweden game, Eriksson described Rooney as being "fit and on fire".

England fans have been well-behaved in Germany so far, although there was some trouble in Cologne on Monday night.

Fourteen English supporters were arrested, but were later released without charge, after trouble flared in the Alter Markt.

It is believed to have started after one supporter climbed a statue and accidentally dropped a beer bottle onto the crowds below.

Bottles were thrown and riot police moved in. Sixteen police officers were reported to have been slightly injured during the skirmish.

England supporters had previously been praised by German authorities for their conduct at the previous fixtures in Frankfurt and Nuremberg.

(KMcA/SP)

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