Irrepressible marksman Henrik Larsson inspired Sweden to a 5-0 rout of Bulgaria as his team provided a flood of goals at last in a Euro 2004 tournament that had been threatening a drought.
Larsson, who recently returned from his self-imposed two-year exile from international football, struck two sublime goals in the space of 71 seconds as Sweden went on a four-goal rampage in the second half in Lisbon.
It was a sharp contrast to the earlier match in Guimaraes where Italy and Denmark locked horns and traded shots without breaking the deadlock in the second 0-0 draw of the tournament.
When Sweden took the field against the Bulgarians, Euro 2004 could boast just seven goals from five matches, a poor return for spectators and television viewers anticipating a three-week goal feast.
Fredrik Ljungberg gave Sweden a sound start with a 32nd minute goal, knocking in a cross from Zlatan Ibrahimovic after his team sprung the Bulgarian offside trap.
But no one could have expected the second half spree set off by Larsson. His first was a glorious diving header in the 57th minute and the second a splendid, sliding lunge just over a minute later.
Larsson then selflessly denied himself the opportunity of netting the first hat-trick of Euro 2004 when Sweden were awarded a penalty 12 minutes from time.
With everyone expecting Sweden's ace marksman to take the kick, Larsson handed the ball to a surprised Ibrahimovic.
"I gave the ball to Zlatan to take it because it's very good for the team for all the strikers to score goals," he said.
Substitute Marcus Allback completed the rout in stoppage time as Sweden equalled the highest winning margin in the tournament's 44-year history.
EARLIER CLASH
The third day of the tournament had started with fans excitedly debating Sunday's extraordinary clash between France and England as the police congratulated themselves on controlling the first high risk match of Euro 2004 without any outbreaks of hooliganism before, during or after the game.
Zinedine Zidane's amazing double in stoppage time to give champions France a 2-1 victory that had seemed beyond reach was a hard act to follow.
The Danes and Italians simply could not remotely match the high quality performance of both teams on Sunday as they fought end-to-end without any meaningful dimension to their play.
Italy, finalists four years ago and fancied as potential champions in some quarters, were muted against a gritty Danish side that had more of the play, particularly in the first half.
But, in the end, it was goalkeepers Thomas Sorensen and Gianluigi Buffon who stole the show, rising to the occasion whenever their goals were threatened.
German and Dutch fans began to gather in Porto for another classic encounter, the next skirmish in a long-term battle for soccer supremacy between the two neighbours and bitter rivals who meet at the Dragao stadium on Tuesday.
The little Baltic state of Latvia makes its debut at a major tournament earlier in the day, taking on the Czech Republic in Aveiro.
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