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Sweden call up striker Kujovic for playoff against Denmark

Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates scoring the opening goal against Moldova during their Euro 2016 group G qualifying soccer match at the Friends Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, October 12, 2015. REUTERS/Janerik Henriksson (Reuters)

By Philip O'Connor STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Striker Emir Kujovic has been rewarded for his superb season with Allsvenskan champions IFK Norrkoping by getting called up to the Sweden squad to face Denmark in their Euro 2016 playoff. Kujovic was top scorer in the Allsvenskan, netting 21 goals to fire his unfancied side to a first league title since 1989, prompting Erik Hamren to add him to a squad that struggled to score and finished third behind Austria and Russia in qualifying Group G. The 27-year-old was among 24 players named by Hamren for the two-legged playoff against their Scandinavian neighbours with the first leg in Stockholm on Nov. 14 and the return in Copenhagen three days later. "I spoke to him this morning and he's very much looking forward to it," Hamren told a news conference on Friday. The Swedes were heavily dependent on captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic for goals in qualifying, and though Hamren tried several partners in attack, none really clicked with Sweden's all-time leading scorer. Ibra netted eight of the 15 goals the Swedes scored in 10 qualifiers. Kujovic, who is also eligible to play for Montenegro, replaced Bordeaux striker Isaac Kiese Thelin who failed to find the net in four games. "It's huge, a dream I have had," IFK Norrkoping's Twitter account quoted Kujovic as saying following the announcement. (Reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Ed Osmond)