Krakow, Poland: Worn out after pushing themselves to the limit against France, England need to produce something they have never before achieved at a major tournament: a victory over Sweden.
Three times the English have tried, and three times they have failed. Even when a Swede, Sven-Goran Eriksson, was in charge at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, England couldn't do it.
But that foreboding record hasn't earned the respect of England heading into Friday's must-win European Championship match, according to Anders Svensson, the most experienced player on Sweden's team. "Maybe you think you are a little bit better than you are, and that we are a little bit better than you think we are," the veteran midfielder said on Wednesday, responding to an English journalist.
"You don't think that much about the Swedish team, and never have. I think we're a good team, I think we're on the same level as England and have been for a long time ... I don't think England have the same respect for us as they have for France."
England did end a 43-year wait for a victory over Sweden in November, but the Wembley meeting was only a friendly. And after being held to a 1-1 draw by France on Monday in Group D, England cannot afford to repeat the ponderous, ultra-defensive play they have employed in the three games under Roy Hodgson.
"We know as a team we want to get forward and get more goals, get more bodies into our attacking third and create more opportunities," England striker Danny Welbeck said. "When they arrive the strikers will be ready to put them in."
That's harder when England are without their only genuine world class attacking threat, with Wayne Rooney serving the final match of his two-match suspension.
But Rooney is still having an impact on the team, mentoring Welbeck, his Manchester United team-mate who started against France. "He's always there giving me advice on and off the pitch," Welbeck said. "Just before the games, at halftime ... he's just always there just letting you know what to do in the games, or if he's seen a weakness in the opposition how you can exploit that."
Sweden's weakness coping with aerial threats could be the area to exploit in Kiev, and that could strengthen Andy Carroll's claims for a starting role. In three straight games, Sweden has conceded goals from corners. And in Monday's 2-1 loss to Ukraine, Andriy Shevchenko's two goals were both headers where the Swedish defence was badly exposed.
On the same night, England's only goal against France came from defender Joleon Lescott's header. "They are strong, especially maybe on set pieces," Sweden coach Erik Hamren said. "We have a problem right now, yes. ... But if you take it in a wider perspective, it's no real issue."
The Ukraine loss has turned the England and France games into "do or die" for Sweden, according to midfielder Kim Kallstrom.
But forward Johan Elmander, who was limited to a substitute's role against Ukraine after recovering from a foot fracture, is now primed to start against England. Having his pace and size up front from the start against England could open up more space for Zlatan Ibrahimovic in his playmaker role.
While the 30-year-old Ibrahimovic has scored 32 goals in 78 internationals, the 21-year-old Welbeck made only his sixth appearance on Monday and has just one goal for England. And the closest he's come to Ibrahimovic is from his sofa.
"I was really watching the Premier League [growing up], but on video games and consoles if you've got Ibrahimovic on your team you're not sad," Welbeck said. "We know the qualities he's got."
Ibrahimovic's route to goal could be clearer if England's central midfield partnership of Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard haven't fully recovered from the humid night in Donetsk against France. "Myself and Steven just have to keep going. We have to, don't we?" Parker said. "There's not a lot of cover in midfield.
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