Leverkusen: Sweden plan to ruin Trinidad & Tobago’s World Cup debut on Saturday and give themselves a flying start ahead of seemingly tougher matches against Paraguay and England.

Swedish coach Lars Lagerback has drummed into his players that losing focus against the Group B outsiders could prove costly in the final analysis.

Defender Olof Mellberg believes the group will develop into a three-horse race, with Trinidad & Tobago the also-rans. “It’s wide open and we are determined to make it hard for England,” said the centre-half.

“In South America, they will think Paraguay have a really good chance of going through and if you ask people in Sweden, they will back us.”

Sweden won a tough group four years ago ahead of England, Argentina and Nigeria and hope to do it again.

They rattled in 30 goals in their 10 qualifying matches, their potent attack led by Henrik Larsson, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Freddie Ljungberg.

They will have to field an inexperienced goalkeeper after first choice Andreas Isaksson suffered concussion when he was felled by a shot during a training session on Wednesday.

PROBABLE TEAMS

Sweden: 12-John Alvbage; 3-Olof Mellberg, 4-Teddy Lucic, 5-Erik Edman, 14-Fredrik Stenman; 6-Tobias Linderoth, 9-Fredrik Ljungberg, 21-Christian Wilhelmsson, 19-Daniel Andersson; 10-Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 11-Henrik Larsson

Trinidad & Tobago: 1-Shaka Hislop; 6-Dennis Lawrence, 4-Marvin Andrews, 3-Avery John, 8-Cyd Gray; 7-Chris Birchall, 9-Aurtis Whitley, 11-Carlos Edwards, 15-Kenwyne Jones; 14-Stern John, 19-Dwight Yorke.

(Reuters)