The main hero of the match until the final whistle did not understand that this result was enough to qualify from the group, and completely ignored the coaches’ instructions.
The Swedish team, eight times in its history, has secured a ticket to the playoff stage of the World Championship. In a tense match of the final round of the group stage, the Blues played against Japan (1:1). This result allowed the team to score 4 points and take third place in Group F (giving up to the Netherlands and Japan), becoming one of the shortest teams to qualify from third place.
After a goalless and half-time first half, the game finally came to fruition. The Japanese took the lead thanks to Daizen Maedi's shot after a twisted pass.. Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga may have restored parity. Gravets shifted from the right flank to the center and launched a quick strike with his “weak” left foot. For Elanga, this goal was already different in the live tournament.
At the end of the game, the Swedes could have won the victory, but after Alexander Isak’s header the ball was taken from the crossbar.
The most important detail of the match was revealed after the final whistle. It turned out that the author of this goal was absolutely not aware of the tournament table. While the coaching staff was on the side of assistant Sebastian Larsson and a bunch of reserves gachkovo encouraged the combination and tried to calm the group, 24-Richny Elanga ignored their screams and rushed into the attack.
" I am the radius that we passed far, but I didn’t know at the end. I guess the stinkers (the coaches) were trying to shout at me, but I obviously wanted to run away. In the end they took me to court, but I don’t want to mess up,” Elanga said after the game.
Team-mates and head coach Graham Potter reacted to this situation with humor:.
Alexander Isaac (Liverpool striker) admitted that he had a little squabble with Elanga on the field:.
"
Graham Potter (head coach) laughed: “That explains a lot. ! Ale I love yoga"
Victor Lindelof (team captain) added ironically: “Vin, perhaps, will not be very respectful in the pre-match setup.”.
Success in the match became possible and continued in the further rotation of Graham Potter after a painful defeat to the Netherlands in the previous round. The coach trusted the place at the start of Elanzi and goalkeeper Jacob Videl Zetterstorm.
" We managed to capture the penalty area and flanks better. We were victorious about Jacob's jaundicedness, because his distribution of gears is really hostile.
And Anthony creates a threat on counterattacks, whose fluidity destabilizes his opponent,” Potter explained his choice.
Having settled in the third place, the Swedes had a direct relationship with the dirty team of Brazil (which we now have with Japan). However, its offensive opponent in the match, planned for 30 cherven, will still be extremely difficult. Potential components of blue-green: Peremozhets of group I (France or Norway). Peremozhets Group E (Nimechchina).