MATCH 06 PREVIEW : BULGARIA OUT TO BURY JINX

Bulgaria and Sweden, two teams who regard teamwork and diligent tactical planning as central characteristics to their game plan, will lock horns at Lisbon's Estádio José Alvalade, both hoping to end unenviable records.

Slow starters
Sweden will attempt to overcome traditional first-night nerves as they seek to end a sequence of eight matches without victory in their opening match in an international tournament. The last occasion the Swedes recorded a victory came in the 1958 FIFA World Cup when they ran out comfortable 3-0 winners against Mexico.

Poor record
Bulgaria, for their part, will be looking to end a poor record against the Swedes. Since they won the teams' first two meetings, the Bulgarians have drawn two and lost seven in a run stretching back to 1967.

'New side'
The experienced Marian Hristov, who played in the two most recent engagements between the sides, expects to show Sweden that some things have changed since 1998. "Six years ago when we lost 1-0 against Sweden in Burgas in a [UEFA] EURO 2000™ qualifier, we were going through a change of generations," the midfield player said. "Now, we're a completely different side."

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