Even though the home side offered late resistance, it was Sweden who progressed through to Euro 2016, after a 2-2 draw with Denmark saw them win their play-off tie 4-3 on aggregate.

Going into the game with a 2-1 lead from the first leg, Zlatan Ibrahimovic put the tie beyond Denmark's reach with a brace to make it 2-0 on the night, and 4-1 on aggregate.

The Danes did show some late resistance, scoring twice in the dying minutes to tie it up at 2-2, but it was too little too late for them.

Early Ibrahimovic goal gives visitors one hand in finals

It took just 19 minutes for Sweden to open the scoring, with their talisman Ibrahimovic scoring his 61st for the nation. They'd looked dangerous with their set-piece routines in the first leg, and they exploited that again here, scoring from a corner.

Whilst most of the men in the penalty area made a beeline for the six yard box, Ibrahimovic slipped back unmarked, and converted Kim Kallstrom's low corner with a cool finish across to the back post.

Ibrahimovic knocks in the first goal (photo: BPI)
Ibrahimovic knocks in the first goal (photo: BPI)

He had a chance to double the lead less than 10 minutes later, thanks to some sloppy play from the home side. Failing to clear the ball, Denmark gave it away in midfield, and quick passing from the Swedes put Ibrahimovic in down the left hand side of the area.

With time and space, you'd have backed the frontman to knock the ball in, but Kasper Schmeichel saved brilliantly with his legs to keep the ball out and keep his side in the contest.

Daniel Agger and Kallstrom were the two who came closest to changing that 1-0 scoreline over the rest of the first half, with both nearly putting the ball in their own net.

Ibrahimovic again caused trouble at the Denmark end, with his cross to a fairly empty box causing confusion between Agger and Schmeichel, leading to the captain knocking the ball just over the bar for a corner.

At the other end, Kallstrom got even closer to finding his own net, flicking the ball against the bar as he attempted to clear a Denmark corner.

Zlatan scores the goal of the night

There was nothing close about the second goal of the game though, as Ibrahimovic scored a fantastic free-kick with just under 15 minutes remaining.

Lining it up from around 25-yards out, a touch to the right hand side, he curled the ball around the wall with amazing power to beat Schmeichel, and send the visiting fans delirious.

Ibrahimovic's free-kick was too good for the goalkeeper (photo: AP)
Ibrahimovic's free-kick was too good for the goalkeeper (photo: AP)

Danes give fans something to cheer with late double

You could have forgiven Denmark for throwing in the towel, having had the majority of possession only to be undone by two moments of brilliance, and they deserve credit for the late comeback they staged.

Yussuf Poulsen started it off, rising highest at the back post to meet Riza Durmisi's cross, heading it back across goal and into the corner to half the deficit.

Jannik Vestergaard was the next to score, with the centre back playing as a striker, he headed in from Christian Eriksen's corner, with his header squeezing in at the post in the first minute of stoppage time.

Knowing that they still needed two more goals to swing the tie back in their favour, Denmark did have time to fluff one major chance in stoppage time, but it was never going to be enough after Ibrahimovic stole the show.

Goalkeeper Schmeichel lies dejected following the match (photo: BPI)
Goalkeeper Schmeichel lies dejected following the match (photo: BPI)