Sweden is fighting back to beat Spain 2-1 in the World Cup qualifiers
STOCKHOLM (AP) -Sweden came from behind to defeat Spain 2-1 and skip the visitors to first place in their World Cup qualifying group on Thursday.
Carlos Soler made five minutes in his debut for Spain to put the visitors in front, but Aleksander Isak equalized seconds later.
Viktor Claesson took Sweden forward for good on the 57th. Only a few desperate defenses from Spain’s defenders denied Isak a chance to add another goal on the counterattack.
“We told ourselves that this is our home ground and we have to play for three points,” said Isak. – Our defense was as usual stable and we played better in attack and created chances. We deserved this win. ”
When Spain and Sweden met in the group stage of the European Championships in June, no one could find the net in a pointless deadlock.
This time, the two attacks struck early in a pulsating display of the Swedes at Friends Arena, which excited the almost 17,000 fans in the largest audience since the pandemic for a Sweden game.
Sweden took control of Europe’s Group B with nine points from three matches. Spain fell to second place with seven points from four matches.
Only the group winners qualify directly for the WC. Second place meets a playoff.
“The group will be much tougher now,” said Spain captain Sergio Busquets. “We still have many matches left, even if we do not have our fate in our hands.”
Soler was the only new face of a Spanish line-up that reached the semifinals of the euro before going to final champion Italy. Valencia midfielder took the place of Pedri González, who was given a two-week rest by Barcelona and Spain.
The 24-year-old Soler became directly involved when he joined Spain’s first attack. Ferran Torres and Álvaro Morata drew the markings on Sweden’s midfielders, which meant that Jordi Alba could meet Soler’s run to the right post with a lobbed pass for him to go home.
Sweden hit right back seconds later when a long ball forward was beaten by Soler and Sergio Busquets. Isak, who plays for the Spanish club Real Sociedad, ran on the ball and hit a right foot shot in the corner of Unai Simon’s net.
Without Pedri and Dani Olmo in the squad to help control the ball, Spain had problems with Sweden’s pressure. Simón got the ball on a low shot by Dejan Kulusevski in the 36th minute after Koke Resurrección lost possession near the area.
A good move by Kulusevski led to Sweden’s winning goal. The Juventus winger appeared to be embedded in two defenders on the left, as he spun past both and found Claesson unmarked in the box.
Spain coach Luis Enrique sent on Adama Traore, Marcos Llorente and Pablo Sarabia to start his attack. Traore came close to leveling the score 26 minutes into the game, as he was set up with a through ball coming in from the left, but his shot hit the post.
But Isak released twice on the counterattack and only Eric-Garcías and Aymeric Laport’s last gasp tackles prevented him from having great chances to finish Spain.
“We lost too many individual matches in defense and midfield and they generated many more counterattacks than in our last matches,” said Luis Enrique. “This team, with Isak and Kulusevski at the forefront, has a lot of talent. And we paid the price. ”
KOSOVO WINS
Vedat Muriqi’s first goal gave Kosovo a 1-0 win over Georgia.
The first victory for Kosovo left it in third place in Group B with three points from three matches. Greece has two points from two matches. Georgia has one point from four games.
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