Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted a penalty and helped Sebastian Larsson score twice for Sweden to beat Croatia 3-1 in an international friendly played at the Maksimir Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Ibrahimovic put the visitors ahead int he 13th minute with a penalty, after goalkeeper Stipe Pletiskosa had fouled AZ Alkmaar midfielder Rasmus Elm in the box. Croatia levelled just before halftime with an own goal from Sweden defender Jonas Olsson, his header sending the ball looping over goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson and into an empty net.
Sweden scored again in the first minute of the second half. Ibrahimovic's attempted pass was deflected by Pletikosa to Sebastian Larsson, who found the net.
Larsson scored again in the 69th minute, converting another great pass from by Ibrahimovic.
Croatia coach Slaven Bilic picked the same team that clinched a place at Euro 2012 by beating Turkey 3-0 in a playoff. But the Bilic boys on Wednesday seemed disorganized against a confident Sweden side.
Sweden was without defender Daniel Majstorovic, who tore a knee ligament during training and is likely to miss the rest of the season.
Croatia defender Vedran Corluka was replaced in the 29th minute because of a leg injury.
"It was a good game. We played against a very good team, we are very happy and hope that we can continue (playing) like this in the games to come," Ibrahimovic told Croatian national television.
Croatia coach Slaven Bilic said that his opponents "played a tough, firm and well organised game."
"In the first half we were ok, but in the second we deteriorated. Simply we were not good. Notably in the second half when we e were much slower," Bilic said.
Croatia have been drawn in Group C at Euro 2012 and will face defending champions Spain, Italy and the Republic of Ireland.
Croatia: Stipe Pletikosa, Josip Simunic, Vedran Corluka (Danijel Pranjic, 29), Ivan Rakitic, Luka Modric (Ognjen Vukojevic, 73), Darijo Srna, Gordon Schildenfeld, Domagoj Vida (Ivan Perisic, 67), Tomislav Dujmovic (Niko Kranjcar, 46), Mario Mandzukic (Eduardo da Silva, 46), Ivica Olic (Nikica Jelavic, 46).
Sweden: Andreas Isaksson, Andreas Granqvist, Olof Mellberg, Jonas Olsson, Martin Olsson, Rasmus Elm (Samuel Holmen, 46), Kim Kallstrom (John Guidetti, 46), Anders Svensson, Ola Toivonen (Emir Bajrami, 74), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Tobias Hysen, 85), Johan Elmander (Sebastian Larsson, 46).
