Five star Sweden too good for ten-man San Marino

Sweden scored all their goals in the second half as they defeated ten-man San Marino to stay above Hungary in second place in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group E by virtue of their superior goal difference.

San Marino defended resolutely to keep Sweden at bay until they were reduced to ten men by the 53rd-minute dismissal of Davide Simoncini. The visitors then began to look more threatening and opened the scoring through Kim Källström before Christian Wilhelmsson grabbed his second and third goals in qualifying either side of strikes from Martin Olsson and Tobias Hysén.

For all their attacking prowess Sweden were unable to break down a stubborn San Marino defence in the first half. The game changed, however, when Simoncini received his second yellow card for a foul on Galatasaray AŞ forward Johan Elmander eight minutes after the break. Källström made the breakthrough for Erik Hamrén's men on 64 minutes and Wilhelmsson doubled the lead six minutes later.

Olsson grabbed Sweden's third on 81 minutes and there was still time for substitute Hysén to hit a fourth before Wilhelmsson completed the scoring in added time. Sweden, level on 18 points with Hungary – who have played a game more – and six behind the Netherlands, will travel to Finland on 7 October before hosting the Dutch in their final fixture four days later. San Marino visit Moldova to complete their programme.