England End Sweden Hodoo in Kiev

A devastating cameo from Theo Walcott and magical finish from Danny Welbeck saw England end their hoodoo against Sweden after a 3-2 win in Kiev.

England had never previously beaten Sweden in a competitive fixture and things were looking ominous in this Group D encounter when Olof Mellberg's early second-half double had cancelled out Andy Carroll's opener.

However, substitute Walcott's introduction swung the momentum back in England's favour as he equalised before creating the winner for Welbeck to leave England in a strong position to progress and Sweden on their way home from Euro 2012.

Scott Parker produced a flying save from Andreas Isaksson on seven minutes after an improvised one-two with Welbeck, but there was nothing the Sweden goalkeeper could do about England's opener on 23 minutes.

Steven Gerrard directed an angled ball into the box and his Liverpool team-mate Carroll eluded his marker to power home a header from near the penalty spot.

Ashley Young wasted a good chance before half-time, but whatever the two coaches said at the break, Erik Hamren's words had the most positive effect as Sweden turned the game on its head within 15 minutes.

After Carroll had given away a needless free-kick, and England had failed to avert the danger, Mellberg eventually saw his shot cross the line despite Glen Johnson's desperate attempts to clear.

If there was fortune about his first goal, the former Aston Villa defender would not have believed his luck at the space he was afforded on 59 minutes to head home Sebastian Larsson's inswinging free-kick.

Roy Hodgson responded by throwing on Walcott for James Milner and the England coach was rewarded within three minutes when the Arsenal winger lashed home a dipping shot from the edge of the area.

Joe Hart produced a brilliant save from Zlatan Ibrahimovic before Walcott's pace had Sweden retreating inside their penalty area on 78 minutes and his cross was superbly flicked home by Welbeck.

Captain Gerrard had a late chance to score a fourth, but was denied by an excellent reaction stop from Isaksson as England held on to secure a win which leaves them needing to only avoid defeat against co-hosts Ukraine on Tuesday to ensure qualification for the quarter-finals.

England made just the one change from Monday's 1-1 draw with France as Carroll started alongside Welbeck, with Ashley Young moving to the left wing and teenager Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain dropping to the bench.

Drama

There was no sign of the drama to come during a drab first half. Parker brought a fine save out of Isaksson after Welbeck rolled an inviting lay-off into his path.

Welbeck guided a header wide from James Milner's cross too when the Manchester United striker probably should have tested Isaksson.

Sweden had a few half-chances and Larsson brought a decent save out of Hart.

However, with Ibrahimovic enduring one of those evenings when English fans wonder what the fuss is all about, Sweden seemed to be there for the taking.

The opportunity England craved was a while in coming and, as so often, Gerrard provided it. The skipper launched an inviting cross into the box as Carroll got between defenders and rose majestically to power his header into the bottom corner.

Much as he may bristle at what is perceived to be the criticism of straight-forward tactics, if England are good at it, Hodgson should make no apology for playing to such strengths.

It is not as though England are incapable of incisive passing when it suits.

Cole threaded an excellent ball through Sweden's defence for Young to run on to. A poor first touch cost the Manchester United winger valuable momentum, though, and he ended up snatching at his shot, which Isaksson saved by the near post.

Carroll needlessly brought down Kim Kallstrom and, in lifting the ball back into the box after his initial free-kick had been blocked, Ibrahimovic could not have expected to pick out Mellberg, completely unmarked, eight yards out.

Hart made a terrific one-handed save, only for the ball to bounce straight into Johnson, whose desperate attempt to keep it out of the net met with failure.

Worse was to come. Having proved how adept they at scoring from deep crosses, England showed a shuddering ineptitude at defending them as Larsson drove a touchline free-kick deep into the box.

Despite so many bodies around him, Mellberg was completely on his own and gave Hart no chance from point-blank range.

Hodgson took immediate action, replacing Milner with Walcott. Once again his decision was a master-stroke.

Three minutes later, Walcott, hanging back at a Gerrard corner, collected the loose ball from a Sweden clearance, and with defenders and attackers merging in a frenzy of movement to retake their positions, fired through the lot.

Isaksson, unsighted, was totally deceived and could only watch helplessly as the shot flew past him, only a few inches away but completely out of reach.

It was Walcott's first goal since that hat-trick in Croatia almost four years ago - and probably his best international performance too.

The goal blitz had squeezed the contest completely out of shape. Even though both sides could still advance with a last-game triumph as things stood, neither were prepared to settle for it.

Hart shovelled Ibrahimovic's shot wide before England countered and got their winner.

Walcott drove toward the by-line, he pulled a cross back to the near post, where Welbeck, instinctively, back-heeled it in.

The result leaves Hodgson wondering how to restore star man Wayne Rooney to his starting line-up given Carroll and Welbeck were so impressive. hat is a problem for another day.

Gerrard was foiled by Isaksson in stoppage-time to deny England a more handsome final scoreline.

Carroll and Green Oslo Starters

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll and West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green will start for England in Saturday's Euro 2012 warm-up match against Norway in Oslo.

Manager Roy Hodgson said: "Andy ended the season well and has continued in the same vein with us, and that was after a difficult start at Liverpool.

"I know what I am going to do but I haven't told the players yet. The back four takes care of itself.

"Rob Green will be in goal and Steven (Gerrard) will start as captain."

Gerrard said reports of splits in the camp, relating to John Terry's pending court case, were "false".

Terry, who will stand trial on 9 July, denies racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League match last October.

Gerrard said: "We're united, we're together. We're all after the same thing and that's to win. There are no divides.

"John (Terry) is a fantastic player and having him about is going to help me in my role along with Frank Lampard and (coach) Gary Neville.

"I haven't seen John or spoken to him. He's obviously celebrating (the Champions League win). He's always been fantastic with me. We need to support each other. We're after the same thing."

Gerrard said he had not spoken to either Theo Walcott or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain about their families' decision not to travel to the tournament over racism fears.

But he added: "I hope all countries have moved on from that, it's certainly something that Uefa needs to address, maybe before the tournament starts.

"I'm hoping like everyone else that racism doesn't play a part in this tournament. I hope it's about the football, not the racism."

Hodgson will be taking charge of England for the first time and said: "It will be a very proud moment. I am looking to see what these players can do. I am very much at a learning stage.

"It is a very important step along the way. My plan is to try to get as many players in action as I can in the two warm-up games."

Carroll Nods Reds into Final

Liverpool came from behind at Wembley to knock Merseyside rivals Everton out of the FA Cup and book a final meeting with Tottenham or Chelsea.

Andy Carroll turned out to be the match-winner with a late header that sealed a 2-1 victory after Nikica Jelavic's opener had been cancelled out by Luis Suarez in a match notable for its mistakes as well as the high level of drama.

The opening goal came in the 24th minute when a terrible defensive mix-up between Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger allowed Jelavic to open the scoring with a composed finish.

Liverpool came out after half-time a transformed team but Everton contributed to their own downfall as Sylvain Distin left a pass back to Tim Howard horribly short and Suarez took advantage to score with the outside of his boot.

Carroll had already spurned a glorious opportunity by the time Suarez equalised and missed further attempts before making amends in the 87th minute with a header from Craig Bellamy's free-kick.

An exhausted Everton did not have the time to rally and Liverpool's supporters were left to celebrate a well-earned semi-final success.

Having already won the Carling Cup in February Liverpool remain on course for a cup double, which has only been achieved three times previously - and once by themselves.

Past experience favoured Liverpool against Everton at Wembley in this competition, having had two FA Cup final wins against their near-neighbours in 1986 and 1989.

Of the four FA Cup semi-finals the teams had contested, Everton had been victorious in only the first in 1906 and they went on to win the competition.

But the history did not weigh heavy on the Toffees, who had the better of a relatively incident-free first half with neither goalkeeper having a proper save to make.

That statistic would have been different had Jay Spearing not snatched at a third-minute chance after Carroll had worked space to cut the ball back to the edge of the area.

With no goals in 48 previous matches of his Liverpool career Spearing was the last man the Reds would have wanted to see in a shooting position and he lived up to expectations by firing over.

Everton had two off-target free-kicks from Leighton Baines and Jelavic, who also had an overhead kick saved by Brad Jones, while Martin Skrtel shot tamely at Howard after Steven Gerrard had picked out Carroll.

It may have been no real surprise the opening goal came from a mistake but the source of the error was.

Carragher, a veteran of 696 appearances, hesitated along with stand-in left-back Agger when the ball dropped in the penalty area and when the vice-captain eventually decided to deal with it he succeeded only in driving it at Tim Cahill.

The rebound fell favourably to Jelavic who coolly slotted a shot between the legs of a diving Jones to spark wild celebrations from Moyes on the touchline.

Carroll looked like he was to have one of those afternoons which have been all-too-regular since his January 2011 move from Newcastle with a glaring miss just two minutes into the second half.

Stewart Downing's inviting cross to the far post was headed wide from close range, prompting the striker to rightly hide his face under his shirt and his manager put his head in his hands.

Fortunately for Carroll strike partner Suarez is sharper in front of goal, especially when gifted opportunities like the one in the 62nd minute.

The otherwise-excellent Distin badly mis-hit a backpass from wide on Everton's left and the Uruguay international raced into the area to slide a low shot with the outside of his right foot past Howard.

Carroll was at it again in the 78th minute, dragging wide left-footed from a good position but Jelavic, who at £5.5million already looks a bargain, was much closer in drilling a shot into the side-netting.

Suarez got in the way of another Carroll effort which bounced wide before Everton substitute Seamus Coleman, booked soon after coming on, was lucky to escape a second caution when he clattered into Gerrard but Liverpool took full advantage.

Bellamy, on for Downing, whipped in the 86th-minute free-kick and Carroll flicked in a header.

Liverpool could even afford for another substitute Maxi Rodriguez to hit the post from close range as they booked a third appearance at Wembley in three months and kept their season alive.

For Everton, however, their priority now will be finishing ahead of their local rivals in the Premier League, something they have done only once since its inception.

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Happy Carroll Anniversary

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish hailed Andy Carroll after the striker scored his first goal since October on Tuesday night.

Goals from Carroll - on his first anniversary since his Anfield move - Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt earned Liverpool a straightforward 3-0 win at Molineux which moved them above Arsenal into fifth and within four points of fourth-placed Chelsea.

It made it a perfect seven days for Dalglish and his team following last week's League Cup semi-final triumph over Manchester City and weekend FA Cup success over Manchester United.

“We're pleased with everybody. It was a great finish for the first goal,” the Scot said. “[It was] a great ball in from Charlie Adam and a great finish from Andy, who played really well.

“He's a Liverpool footballer and he will make a contribution for us many times.

Until Tuesday night, Liverpool's cup form had been in contrast with their league form, however, with the Reds having picked up just one point from their previous three top-flight matches - and the recent defeat to Bolton prompting the Scot to take the unusual step of criticising his players.

There were no such complaints from Dalglish on this occasion, though.

"I thought it was a very professional, high quality performance from the players. A fantastic reaction to the previous two games," he said.

"This game became the most important one because it was the next one. They applied themselves well and got what they deserved."