England coach Sven Goran Eriksson refused to be downcast after a disappointing opening performance by his side.

‘It was a fair result but we could have scored a second goal in the first half and won the game in that way. But Sweden played well in the second,” Eriksson said.

“Both the games are very important and very difficult,” Eriksson said of the forthcoming matches against Argentina and Nigeria.

Leeds defender Danny Mills who gave the ball away on the edge of the England area, accepted responsibility for Alexandersson’s equaliser.

“It’s down to me,” he admitted. “One mistake can cost you and that’s what happened.

“It’s one of those things but I’ll have to put it to the back of my mind because there’s no point in dwelling on it.

“At the end of the day we haven’t lost and a point could turn out to be a good result.”

“The ball ran slightly away from me, said Mills. “I just had to clear it but it landed at his (Alexandersson’s) feet and he tucked it away.

“There’s nothing you can do, you just have to take it on the chin.”

England captain David Beckham, who was substitued after an hour, remained optimistic about England;s chances of progressing.

“But its important that we did not lose the match. There are a lot of good things we can take from this and at the end of the day it might be a very important point.”

“The first half was good, but the second half I started to get tired and my foot began to ache,” he said when asked about his substitution.