Soccer: Beckham on course for Sweden

KOBE, Japan - David Beckham's recovery from injury is on schedule and the England soccer captain should be fit for their World Cup opener against Sweden, manager Sven-Goran Eriksson said today.

Beckham, who broke a bone in his foot last month, is due to have a scan on the injury before starting full training for the group F opener against the Swedes on Sunday.

Dismissing fears that England's inspirational captain had taken a turn for the worse, Eriksson said: "Everything is as planned so far. We think and we hope he will be fit for Sunday.

"He's started running more and more, and hopefully in the middle of the week he will practise with the rest of the team with the ball.

"The plans are like that and they have not been changed.

"After the session he had today he felt very well, no complaints, no pain at all, so that's very positive."

England have already lost fellow midfielders Steven Gerrard and Danny Murphy to injury, while a third, left-sided midfielder Kieron Dyer, is fighting to recover from a knee problem.

"Dyer was running a lot today and could do it without any problem. He was kicking ball with the left foot and that was okay," Eriksson said.

Ashley Cole (knee) and David Seaman (groin) both missed today's 2-2 draw with Cameroon with less serious injuries.

"Ashley Cole should be okay to practise very early in the week, David Seaman the same," said Eriksson, who opted not to risk midfielder Nicky Butt, just returning from a knee injury.

England badly need players like Beckham and Dyer to be fit if they are to stand a chance of making progress from the so-called "group of death" with the Swedes, Argentina and Nigeria.

"I think on Saturday afternoon at the last practice they will tell me that they are okay, all of them," Eriksson said.

"I can't guarantee it, but I hope so."

- REUTERS

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