" MATCH REPORT AFTER WALES' LAST EURO 2016 WARM-UP GAME "

Wales ended their preparations for Euro 2016 on an underwhelming note as they were beaten in Sweden.

With talisman Gareth Bale on the bench, Wales trailed 1-0 at half-time as Emil Forsberg fired the hosts in front.

Mikael Lustig bundled in from a corner to double their lead, before substitute John Guidetti struck a late third.

Not even Bale's introduction could rouse Wales, who face Slovakia in their Euro 2016 opener on Saturday.

With Wales' first match at a major tournament for 58 years in mind, manager Chris Coleman could at least be consoled by the fact his players avoided serious injury in Stockholm.

But he may have been a little disappointed by a somewhat disjointed performance, which was perhaps to be expected with Wales having not played since a friendly defeat against Ukraine in March.

The fixture was billed as a battle between the two teams' stellar talents - Bale against Sweden's inspirational and outspoken captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Bale had not featured for Wales since October and, having played 120 minutes of Real Madrid's Champions League final triumph the previous weekend, the 26-year-old was left on the bench.

Ibrahimovic, heavily linked with Manchester United after leaving Paris St-Germain, started the match and was predictably the orchestrator of every home attack.

His own efforts on goal were initially limited to a 25-yard shot which curled wide but, shortly before half-time, his elegant control and nonchalant pass teed up Forsberg to strike into the bottom corner.

Ibrahimovic had been substituted by the time Bale emerged, so their much-vaunted duel did not materialise.

Home and away fans alike were thrilled to see Bale and, although he showed flickers of his considerable threat, he could not revive Wales as Sweden eased to a comfortable victory.

Wales already had fitness concerns about a handful of players ahead of this fixture, so Coleman was anxious not to add to his list of potential absentees.

Injured midfielders Joe Allen and Joe Ledley and striker Hal Robson-Kanu were rested with a view to them playing against Slovakia - remarkably in the case of Ledley, who broke his leg in May.

While Bale was on the bench, Jonny Williams impressed in the Real Madrid forward's usual roaming role in attack, with an inventive and energetic display.

There was also a first Wales appearance since October for Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, sporting a distinctive new blonde hairstyle and looking like one of his country's likeliest sources of a goal.

The match was a useful workout as Coleman ponders his team to face Slovakia, but the nature of the performance will have been less than encouraging as Wales embark on their historic campaign in France.

Kevin Ratcliffe, former Wales and Everton captain on BBC Radio Wales:

"The result won't bother Chris Coleman. It's all about the first game next week. That's what he's been building up to.

"He knows next week is a different kettle of fish. The last goal summed it up - Ashley Williams would have gone in harder if this was a competitive match. This was about getting the rustiness out, and I think they've achieved that."

I would love to know who was responsible for arranging this totally pointless game

I would love to know who was responsible for arranging this totally pointless game

Like you I too felt it was pointless at first, but having seen the game today I now realise that the team needed this game to try to get the rustiness away.

I would love to know who was responsible for arranging this totally pointless game

Like you I too felt it was pointless at first, but having seen the game today I now realise that the team needed this game to try to get the rustiness away.

Several teams played yesterday including slavakia guess it was pointless for them maybe?

I would love to know who was responsible for arranging this totally pointless game

Like you I too felt it was pointless at first, but having seen the game today I now realise that the team needed this game to try to get the rustiness away.

Several teams played yesterday including slavakia guess it was pointless for them maybe?

thats what I was thinking we need a warmup before we play our first major tournament in years.

I would love to know who was responsible for arranging this totally pointless game

Like you I too felt it was pointless at first, but having seen the game today I now realise that the team needed this game to try to get the rustiness away.

Several teams played yesterday including slavakia guess it was pointless for them maybe?

I am fully aware who played yesterday one team being SLOVAKIA but unfortunately I am not in the position of knowing whether or not it was pointless for them or not, but I will accept your guess as being a maybe it was, I was just expressing how I changed my mind, thinking at the time the game was announced it would be a pointless game , but I now realise it was necessary after todays game.

Does that please you any better

I would love to know who was responsible for arranging this totally pointless game

Like you I too felt it was pointless at first, but having seen the game today I now realise that the team needed this game to try to get the rustiness away.

Several teams played yesterday including slavakia guess it was pointless for them maybe?

I am fully aware who played yesterday one team being SLOVAKIA but unfortunately I am not in the position of knowing whether or not it was pointless for them or not, but I will accept your guess as being a maybe it was, I was just expressing how I changed my mind, thinking at the time the game was announced it would be a pointless game , but I now realise it was necessary after todays game.

Does that please you any better

yes thanks!!!! was making point other teams played as well and not specifically about your view though. hope that is to your you satisfaction?

What a crap player Gunter is , third goal down to him with another one of his aimless balls, shocking player. And while im at it somebody tell that jack b*stard Coleman to keep his mouth shut when chewing gum.

I would love to know who was responsible for arranging this totally pointless game

Like you I too felt it was pointless at first, but having seen the game today I now realise that the team needed this game to try to get the rustiness away.

Several teams played yesterday including slavakia guess it was pointless for them maybe?

I am fully aware who played yesterday one team being SLOVAKIA but unfortunately I am not in the position of knowing whether or not it was pointless for them or not, but I will accept your guess as being a maybe it was, I was just expressing how I changed my mind, thinking at the time the game was announced it would be a pointless game , but I now realise it was necessary after todays game.

Does that please you any better

yes thanks!!!! was making point other teams played as well and not specifically about your view though. hope that is to your you satisfaction?

If we were to be heavily beaten by Slovakia, I expect fans would be asking why on earth we had gone months without playing together until the first game of a major tournament. Games we lose tend to be descibed as pointless. If we had won 3-0 I think the general feeling would have been that the game would have been a real confidence booster, and I doubt if anyone would have descibed it as pointless.

I hope the game focusses the mind as to what will be needed to get 1 point, never-mind a win during the Euro's. Wales are defo up against it.

I would love to know who was responsible for arranging this totally pointless game

Like you I too felt it was pointless at first, but having seen the game today I now realise that the team needed this game to try to get the rustiness away.

I wonder if you would have said the same if Bale or Ramsey had got injured and had ruled them out of the competition,somehow I doubt it

What a crap player Gunter is , third goal down to him with another one of his aimless balls, shocking player. And while im at it somebody tell that jack b*stard Coleman to keep his mouth shut when chewing gum.

f**k off you utter prick. No place for inter-club rivalry!

I would love to know who was responsible for arranging this totally pointless game

Like you I too felt it was pointless at first, but having seen the game today I now realise that the team needed this game to try to get the rustiness away.

I wonder if you would have said the same if Bale or Ramsey had got injured and had ruled them out of the competition,somehow I doubt it

If you mean would I have said the same after a injury in the warm up game, yes I would have, simply because of the performance against Sweden, it was plain to see that the team needed that game because they were so rusty, if that game had not been played, it is more than likely that their performance against Slovania would suffer.

Just my opinion