Wales suffer friendly loss in Sweden

By Ian Wilkerson 7:44PM 5 JUN 2016

WALES were unable to head to Euro 2016 on a high after losing their final friendly 3-0 in Sweden.

Chris Coleman’s side head into Saturday’s opening Group B game against Slovakia having won just one of their last seven matches – a 2-0 success against Andorra in their final qualifying match in October.

However, the Wales manager will have been delighted with Gareth Bale’s involvement as a 64th-minute substitute in the defeat in Solna.

Wales, who have qualified for their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup, are 11-2 with Betfair to win their group for which England are general 5-6 favourites.

Germany defender Jerome Boateng has announced he wiill be fit for their first game against Ukraine on Sunday, despite suffering a knock in their 2-0 win over fellow qualifiers Hungary on Saturday.

The World Cup winners already have defender Mats Hummels on the treatment table with a calf injury while manager Joachim Low hopes skipper Bastian Schweinsteiger will be fit for their Group C opener.

Ajax boss Frank de Boer and Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe are joint 7-2 favourites with Coral to be the next manager of Southampton as reports suggest Saints boss Ronald Koeman is set to replace Roberto Martinez at Everton.

Former Chelsea and Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas, who left his position as coach of Zenit St Petersburg last month, is 9-2 to take over at St Mary’s.

Speculation continues that Leicester and England striker Jamie Vardy is set to join Arsenal and Coral offer 2-7 that the Premier League Golden Boot runner-up will sign for the Gunners next.