Germany captain Philipp Lahm was stunned by his side's collapse to Sweden after going 4-0 up in their World Cup Qualifier.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mikel Rustic, Johan Elmander and Rasmus Elm scored in an amazing final 30-minute period to take the score to 4-4 after a brace from Miroslav Klose and a goal apiece from Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil had given Germany a 4-0 lead.

"When you lead 4-0 then only draw 4-4, then something has gone wrong," he told ARD.

"Something like this should never happen to a top team. Clearly we felt it was done and dusted at 4-0, and that is only normal too, but then we lost concentration, made mistakes, lost our organisation and suddenly Sweden score four goals."

Lahm's Bayern Munich teammates were equally frustrated by the result. "I do not understand it," Schweinsteiger said. "Nowadays it is already not enough when two or three players do not run enough.

"But with us, everybody was one step behind. And so you concede four goals against Sweden. Never in a lifetime could we not have won this match. I do not remember this ever happening to us.

"I honestly do not care (what the media and public will say now).

"This is hard to explain to be honest," Kroos added. "Anything can happen, when everything seems to be over.

"Sweden fought for every meter and we were not able to get back on track. Everything (was] working for us.

"We played beautiful football and scored brilliant goals. Then you start to think that everything will take care of itself. That is the mistake. We should have followed through until the end. This should not happen to a team like ours."

Germany coach Joachim Low was understandably shellshocked by the result. "I cannot explain it so soon after the game has finished," he said. "It is hard to explain how we could throw away such an advantage.

"To throw away a 4-0 lead is normally impossible. I am shocked. I have never experienced anything like it. Everybody in the dressing room is stunned to silence. We are speechless."