World Cup 2006 qualifying/How our Group Four opponents fared: FRANCE 1 SWEDEN 1: France came from behind to draw 1-1 in a Stade de France friendly international with Sweden last night, the former world and European champions' fifth consecutive home draw.
Arsenal midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg opened the scoring with Sweden's first chance in the 11th minute and Juventus striker David Trezeguet headed home a cross from Ljunberg's club team-mate Thierry Henry to equalise in the 36th minute of the game.
The French dominated for most of the match and created a great number of chances but the solid Swedish defence generally kept them at bay.
France, who host Switzerland in a World Cup qualifier next month and come to Dublin on September 7th, have yet to win a game on home soil since Raymond Domenech took over as coach from Jacques Santini after the European championships last July.
That run of stalemates includes a scoreless draw with the Republic of Ireland on October 9th.
Arsenal had a third Arsenal player on the pitch in Patrick Vieira but Domenech again left Robert Pires out of the squad altogether last week.
The midfielder criticised his national coach last October after being substituted in a qualifier against Cyprus.
ISRAEL 3 CROATIA 3: Israel and Croatia played out an exciting draw in their friendly international yesterday, with Ireland's Group Four rivals coming back to equalise three times.
The match was a last preparation for the home side ahead of the crucial qualifying match against Brian Kerr's team on March 26th.
Croatia, who were beaten 1-0 in a friendly at Lansdowne Road last November, took the lead in the 15th minute through Ivan Klasnic.
Israel equalised in the 38th minute when striker Pini Balili stabbed the ball home after a cross from Omri Afek.
Darijo Srna converted a 55th-minute penalty for the visitors after goalkeeper Dudu Awat's foul on De Silva.
Yossi Benayoun then made it 2-2 after he freed himself for a shot in the 74th minute.
Croatia took the lead again in the 78th minute when Klasnic hit an overhead kick from a rebounded shot.
Substitute Omer Golan was on hand for a third equaliser for Israel in the 84th minute when he ghosted in to beat the goalkeeper as the ball came in from Yaniv Katan on the left.
UAE 1 SWITZERLAND 2: Switzerland dominated the United Arab Emirates but had to settle for a slender 2-1 win in Dubai yesterday.
Striker Daniel Gygax put the visitors into lead in the ninth minute before Ismael Matar equalised in the 21st. Defender Patrick Mueller scored the winner for Switzerland 10 minutes from time.
The home team came close to scoring an equaliser in injury-time but Subait Khater headed wide.
The Swiss, in Dubai on a training visit in preparation for qualifiers away to France and at home against Cyprus at the end of March, controlled play but were let down by poor finishing.
They take on the Republic of Ireland at Lansdowne Road in the last round of qualifying matches on October 12th.
CYPRUS 1 FINLAND 2: Cyprus were beaten by Finland in the final of a four-nation international tournament in Nicosia yesterday.
The host team took the lead through Chrysis Michael in the 24th minute but the Finns won the tournament after second-half goals by Annti Poiha.
Cyprus beat Austria on penalties, after a 1-1 draw, on Tuesday to get to the final. Austria again lost on penalties, this time to Latvia, yesterday in the third/fourth play-off game.
FAROE ISLANDS: The basement side of Group Four, who will host the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, June 8th, were not involved in this week's action.
