Sweden 1-1 Spain
A last gasp Rodrigo strike fired Spain to the Euro 2020 finals tonight, but it was a cruel blow to Sweden, who thought they had battled to a priceless three points.
Marcus Berg scored a second-half header to give Sweden the lead, and they held out until the 92nd minute before Rodrigo broke their hearts. This match was billed as the match of the night, and so it turned out in such dramatic style.
It all means that Roberto Moreno has guided his side to qualification, but for Janne Andersson’s Sweden, there is still plenty of work to do. The hosts started the game a single point ahead of third-placed Romania in Group F, and that’s how it stayed after Romania too conceded a late equaliser to Norway.
The pre-match Euro 2020 news was dominated by the visitors’ team news as Moreno made wholesale changes. Kepa Arrizabalaga was preferred to David De Gea for their draw with Norway on Saturday, but after conceding a late penalty, he was rested, allowing Manchester United’s De Gea to take his place between the sticks.
Spain skipper Sergio Ramos became his nation’s highest capped player of all-time at the weekend, but he picked up a yellow card which meant he too was rested.
Highlights of the game
La Roja started brightly and should have gone ahead on seven minutes. Thiago had a shot charged down and the ball fell kindly for him and he was clean through on goal. But instead of putting his laces through the ball, he tried some unnecessary trickery and Robin Olsen gratefully saved.
Minutes later, Olsen made an even better save when a Spain corner fell at the feet of Rodri around eight yards out. The midfield man hit his shot well but Olsen got down superbly to save.
Gerard Moreno made his debut tonight, and he was the next to test Olsen with a good leap and downward header, but again the Swedish stopper was alert.
Midway through the first half, the hosts began to come alive and Mikael Lustig hit a sweet half-volley which De Gea grabbed at the second attempt. Then, on 31 minutes Robin Quaison met a Lustig cross with a bullet header which the Spain keeper saved brilliantly.
As the game swung from end to end, Victor Lindelof put in a great block to deny Gerard, and after a swift Swedish break, Emil Forsberg fired a shot wide.
Spain had dominated possession but Sweden’s well-organised defence frustrated them. But they got their reward for their hard work when Marcus Berg put the hosts ahead early in the second half.
De Gea made another superb save to stop Berg’s header, but when he flung himself in the line of Forsberg’s follow up, the ball popped up for Berg to nod home.
The visitors had a chance to hit back straight away but Rodri’s header was too close to Olsen. And then, in a moment to worry Manchester United fans, De Gea was replaced by Kepa, seemingly to protect an injury.
Gerard came closer to scoring when he stooped to meet a Dani Ceballos cross but his header skidded narrowly wide. And Sweden must have thought they’d secured a vital three points, but their hearts were broken in injury time.
When a dangerous ball flew across a packed Swedish box, Rodrigo stuck a foot out and diverted the ball past Olsen.
Key statistics
A quick look at the Euro 2020 betting odds led us to believe the odd-on visitors would dominate, but after a bright start they were pegged back by the Swedes as the first half progressed.
La Roja had 75 per cent of the possession and a passing accuracy of 90 per cent to Sweden’s 70 but only managed three shots on target to their hosts’ two. While the possession and passing stats remained unchanged, Sweden eventually won the shots-on-target count by seven to six.
A draw was a fair result.
Spain are now unbeaten in nine while the Swedes are unbeaten in four at home.
Remarkably, there wasn’t a single Barcelona player in Spain’s starting line-up, but Moreno remains unbeaten as a manager.
What’s next?
La Roja have two home games to finish their campaign, first Malta and then Romania visit Moreno’s team, and he will be keen to remain unbeaten.
Spain got their first-ever win against Romania earlier in the campaign, and Sweden will hope they can bag another in the last game.
Next up, Sweden are away to Romania in the crunch match and then at home to the Faroe Islands. Keep an eye on the SBOBET odds as the action approaches, there could well be some more twists and turns yet…
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