Malta lose 4-0 to Sweden

Sweden outclassed Malta 4-0 on Wednesday to maintain their faint hopes of reaching next year's World Cup in South Africa.

Goals from Kim Kallstrom, Daniel Majstorovic, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcus Berg sealed a victory that took the Swedes up to nine points from six matches in Group One.

Fourth-placed Sweden still have a lot of work to do if they are to grab one of the top two places in the group.

They trail leaders Denmark by seven points with four matches to play. Hungary are second on 13 points, with Portugal third on nine, ahead of Sweden on goals scored.

Europe's nine groups winners qualify automatically for the World Cup with the eight best runners-up going through to the play-offs.

After a nervous start that almost saw the Swedes hand the lead to Malta, Kallstrom broke the deadlock midway through the first half when he headed the ball home after Rasmus Elm's shot had bounced off the crossbar.

Kallstrom's corner set up Majstorovic early in the second half and Ibrahimovic made it 3-0 six minutes later after good work from Rasmus Elm. Ibrahimovic then teed up Berg to fire home the fourth.