Source Notes

With Kevin Keegan having ended his involvement with Fulham to be confirmed as England's full time manager, his team went into a vital home tie with Group 5 leaders Sweden knowing that only victory would keep alive hopes of automatic qualification for Euro 2000.  Sweden, five points up on England and with a 100% record in the qualifiers so far, had been something of a "bogey" side - England had not beaten them for 31 years.  Another huge Wembley crowd saw the visitors weather the anticipated early storm before settling down to cause the maximum frustration.  Poor England certainly played with spirit and character but they managed just one tame effort on target in the ninety minutes.  In the end a goalless draw was really no more than they deserved.

The match also proved to be a personal disaster for Paul Scholes, the hat-trick hero of the last Wembley qualifier with Poland.  In the first few minutes he horribly mistimed a challenge on Mild, studs connecting with thigh, and ended the Swedish midfielder's involvement there and then.  That indiscretion didn't even warrant a free-kick according to the Spanish referee but a yellow card was shown on 27 minutes as Scholes scythed down Schwarz.  The former Arsenal player was again on the receiving end six minutes into the second period and this time Scholes had to walk.  He became only the seventh England player in history to be dismissed - and the first at Wembley.

Sweden looked to be helping England comfortably at that stage, so it hardly helped the home team's cause to have to play nearly the whole of the second half a man short.  Just as they had done against Bulgaria at Wembley earlier in the season, England struggled to create anything worthwhile in the final third and the end result, another 0-0, was equally as unhelpful.  In fact, Sweden could easily have grabbed a goal themselves to considerably reduce England's prospects of even making the play-offs.  Larsson and Kennet Andersson missed with simple headers in front of goal and Ljungberg's curling free-kick from long range had Seaman nearly caught up in the netting as he stretched to touch the ball onto the bar and behind.

Prior to the match there was a minute's silence to mark the recent passing away of Sir Alf Ramsey at the age of 79.  He was England's manager from 1963 and 1974 and his team won the World Cup, as he promised they would, in 1966. - The Official F.A. and England Yearbook 1999-2000.

TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
Rothman's Yearbooks
F.A. Yearbook
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CG