Zlatan Ibrahimovic's four goals crowned a second half Sweden revival against an experimental England side as Roy Hodgson suffered defeat for the first time as manager in the opening game at the Friends Stadium in Stockholm.

Ibrahimovic opened the scoring mid-way through the first half as he capitalised on an error from one of six England debutants, Steven Caulker, to poke beyond Joe Hart.

But back post finishes from Danny Webeck and Caulker put the visitors ahead at the break, as England wrestled away control.

But Ryan Shawcross allowed Ibrahimovic to escape in behind and volley past Hart, before an innocuous 30-yard free-kick beat the Manchester City goalkeeper with six minutes left.

The Paris Saint Germain striker then capped off a memorable match winning performance with a brilliant overhead kick into an empty England net.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Ibrahimovic produced one of the great modern-day international performances to destroy England.

Hodgson handed debuts to Raheem Sterling, Leon Osman and Caulker from the start, while Wilfried Zaha, Carl Jenkinson and Shawcross were late second half substitutes.

But they were simply spectators as Ibrahimovic, who had regularly produced underwhelming performance against British opposition in European club competition, turned a comfortable England lead to dust in 13 second half minutes.

Steven Gerrard won his 100<sup>th cap as he led out an inexperienced England side against a Swedish team whose last competitive defeat came in the corresponding fixture during Euro 2012.

Amid Ibrahimovic handing the home side the lead after Caulker's mistake from Martin Olsson's cross, England dominated proceedings, with Hodgson's side controlling and keeping the ball akin to a team far beyond their years.

And they grabbed a deserved equaliser as Seb Larsson allowed Ashley Young to cross for Welbeck, who stabbed home, and Caulker repeated the trick before the break as the Tottenham Hotspur centre-back latched onto Gerrard's free-kick to give England the lead.

Andreas Isaksson then twice denied Gerrard as Sweden hung on, until Ibrahimovic single handedly turned the game in the favour of Erik Hamren's men with a display fitting of his Ballon d'Or nomination.

First he escaped the attention of Shawcross to control and volley through Hart following Anders Svensson's pass, before a long-range free-kick caught the England No.1 napping in the 84<sup>th minute.

But few could have predicted how Ibrahimovic would conclude the evening in stoppage time, as after Hart's miscued a headed clearance, the 31 year old showed agility in springing into the air and executing a beautifully timed overhead which bounced into the net from fully 30 yards.

Despite suffering his first defeat as England boss, Hodgson will take plenty of positives from a performance that while it was overshadowed by the brilliance of Ibrahimovic, will give the boss plenty of reason for optimism.