Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored all four goals as Sweden celebrated the opening of their new national stadium by coming from behind to beat England 4-2 in a friendly in Stockholm, yesterday.

The Sweden captain became the first player to score at the Friends Arena and then struck three times in the final 15 minutes after goals from Danny Welbeck and England debutant Steven Caulker had threatened to spoil the Swedish party.

Ibrahimovic’s goals seemed to mount in quality, with a neat finish followed by a volley and then a 30-yard free-kick before an outrageous long-range bicycle kick in injury time that drew a standing ovation from the stands.

The result meant that Sweden avenged their 3-2 loss to England at Euro 2012, while England coach Roy Hodgson – who handed debuts to six players – tasted defeat over 90 minutes for the first time in 12 games.

It also meant that England captain Steven Gerrard had to stomach a loss on the occasion of his 100th cap, as Ibrahimovic moved ahead of Henrik Larsson and into third place in the list of Sweden’s all-time top scorers.

Second-half substitute Bafetimbi Gomis scored a 67th-minute winner as France prevailed 2-1 to consign Italy to their fifth consecutive friendly defeat in Parma.

Milan’s Stephan El Shaarawy opened the scoring just after the half hour for the hosts only for France to level moments later thanks to a fine individual effort from Marseille forward Mathieu Valbuena.

Gomis came on just after the hour to score and though Italy battled for the remainder Cesare Prandelli’s side had to settle for their fifth friendly defeat since a 2-0 reverse in Poland a year ago.

In Amsterdam, Holland were held to a goalless draw by neighbours Germany with both injury-hit teams fielding makeshift sides after a raft of withdrawals.

With both nations top of their respective World Cup qualifying groups and missing several stars, an experimental theme ran through both line-ups at Amsterdam Arena, but there was little to light up a fairly dull encounter.

With Germany having beaten Holland 2-1 in their group stage clash at Euro 2012 and the Dutch having lost 3-0 in Hamburg last November in a friendly, the hosts were well placed to take advantage of a weakened Germany.

But they failed to take their chance for a first win over the Germans since November 2002.

Meanwhile, Fabio Capello extended his unbeaten run as Russia coach as his side drew 2-2 with the United States in a friendly in Krasnodar.

Anzhi Makhachkala forward Fedor Smolov and Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Roman Shirokov both scored for the home side yesterday, while midfielders Michael Bradley and Mikkel Deskerud were on target for the visitors.

In Riyadh, Lionel Messi drew a rare blank as Argentina could only labour to a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia in a low-key match.

Summaries

Andorra 0
Iceland 2
Gudmundsson 14; Sigurjonsson 59;

Armenia 4
Manucharyan 7; Mkrtchyan 50, 53; Ozbiliz 72;
Lithuania 2
Rimkevicius 66; Rimkevicius 83 pen;

Austria 0
Ivory Coast 3
Ya 44; Drogba 61; Traore 76;

Bulgaria 1
Kucher 33;
Ukraine 0

Chile 1
Henriquez 88;
Serbia 3
Markovic 25; Djordjevic 47; Djuricic 65;

Red card: Vidal (C) 79.

Cyprus 0
Finland 3
Pukki 14; Hetemaj 28 pen; Kolehmainen 86;

Czech Rep. 3
Lafata 3, 6; Dockal 72;
Slovakia 0

Gabon 2
Madinda 32 pen; Poko 70 pen;
Portugal 2
Pizzi 35 pen; Lopes 60;

Holland 0
Germany 0

Hungary 0
Norway 2
Nielsen 38; Abdellaue 79;

Ireland 0
Greece 1
Holebas 29;

Israel 1
Damari 19;
Belarus 2
Kislyak 45; Balanovich 47;

Italy 1
El Shaarawy 35;
France 2
Valbuena 37; Gomis 67;

Liechtenstein 0
Malta 1
Caruana 38;

Luxembourg 1
Gerson 47;
Scotland 2
Rhodes 11, 24;

Macedonia 3
Tasevski 27; Jahvic 41; Ibraimi 51;
Slovenia 2
Pecnik 49, 63

Poland 1
Obraniak 64;
Uruguay 3
Glik 22 og; Cavani 34; Suarez 66;

Romania 2
Maxim 32; Torje 66 pen;
Belgium 1
Benteke 23;

Russia 2
Smolov 9; Shirkov 84 pen;
United States 2
Bradley 76; Diskerud 90;

Saudi Arabia 0
Argentina 0

Sweden 4
Ibrahimovic 20, 78; Ibrahimovic 84, 90;
England 2
Welbeck 35; Caulker 38;

Tunisia 1
Harbaoui 59;
Switzerland 2
Derdiyok 40; Shaqiri 90;

Turkey 1
Erdinc 69;
Denmark 1
Bendtner 65 pen;

World Cup qualifiers

Group F

N. Ireland 1
Healy 90;
Azerbaijan 1
Aliyev 5;

Group H

Montenegro 3
Delibasic 14, 31; Zverotic 68;
San Marino 0