Sweden, Nigeria in draw

CHENGDU – European powerhouse Sweden got their World Cup campaign off to a shaky start yesterday when they drew 1-1 with African champions Nigeria.

Captain Victoria Svensson did the damage for Sweden in the 50th minute, hammering home from close range, only for minnows Nigeria to come roaring back in the dying stages of the match. Sweden finished runner-up at the last World Cup to Germany and spearheaded by veteran Svensson are desperate to go one better in China.But the world number three faces a tough battle on the road to the finals, grouped with two-time World Cup winners the United States and Asian dynamos North Korea who drew 2-2 in their first outing earlier yesterday.Sweden now take on the Americans on Friday while the five-time African champions face North Korea in a double header in Chengdu.Meanwhile, midfielder Kelly Smith scored two late goals for England here on yesterday but Japan fired back with an equaliser five seconds from time to scrape a 2-2 draw in a dramatic World Cup Group A tie.The 28-year-old Smith brought her goal tally to 23 in 62 games for England with spectacular strikes in the 81st and 83 minutes to put England ahead 2-1.Then Aya Miyama, the Japanese midfielder, stepped up with the seconds ticking down to smash a free-kick into the top left corner from 30 metres past the outstretched arms of Rachel Brown in the England goal.Miyama had already scored for Japan with a similar free-kick from some 25 metres to put Japan 1-0 up after 55 minutes.The outcome of the match was crucial to deciding who would progress into the next round from the group alongside favourites Germany, who beat Argentina 11-0 on Monday.The Fifa Women Football Woprld Cup is hel;d in CXhina- Nampa-AFPSweden finished runner-up at the last World Cup to Germany and spearheaded by veteran Svensson are desperate to go one better in China.But the world number three faces a tough battle on the road to the finals, grouped with two-time World Cup winners the United States and Asian dynamos North Korea who drew 2-2 in their first outing earlier yesterday.Sweden now take on the Americans on Friday while the five-time African champions face North Korea in a double header in Chengdu.Meanwhile, midfielder Kelly Smith scored two late goals for England here on yesterday but Japan fired back with an equaliser five seconds from time to scrape a 2-2 draw in a dramatic World Cup Group A tie.The 28-year-old Smith brought her goal tally to 23 in 62 games for England with spectacular strikes in the 81st and 83 minutes to put England ahead 2-1.Then Aya Miyama, the Japanese midfielder, stepped up with the seconds ticking down to smash a free-kick into the top left corner from 30 metres past the outstretched arms of Rachel Brown in the England goal.Miyama had already scored for Japan with a similar free-kick from some 25 metres to put Japan 1-0 up after 55 minutes.The outcome of the match was crucial to deciding who would progress into the next round from the group alongside favourites Germany, who beat Argentina 11-0 on Monday. The Fifa Women Football Woprld Cup is hel;d in CXhina- Nampa-AFP