Sweden vs Norway – Football match report – 5 June 2022
By Philip O’Connor
STOCKHOLM, June 5 (Reuters) – Erling Haaland scored a goal in each half to bring his international result to 18 in 19 matches when Norway beat Sweden 2-1 to the top of the Nations League Group B4 after victories in the first two matches.
The guests took the lead when Morten Thorsby was awarded a soft penalty by referee Anthony Taylor for any harmless contact in the box by Emil Krafth. Haaland, who made the winner against Serbia in his opening match, thumped a goal kick to the right of Robin Olsen in the 20th minute.
Sweden’s only goal attempt during the initial 45 minutes came from a couple of free kicks from Emil Forsberg just before the break, but despite a series of decent attacks and solid goals early in the second half, they did not manage to create an equalizer.
Haaland made the home team’s keeper look foolish as he easily reduced the lead to make it 2 – 0 69 minutes into the match.
Haaland missed a great chance to complete his hat trick three minutes later and was replaced by Joshua King shortly after.
Anthony Elanga scored a stoppage time goal for the Swedes who showed too little, too late because Norway held on to win.
The Norwegians top the group with six points before their first home match against bottom team Slovenia on Thursday, while the Swedes take on second-placed Serbia, who beat the Slovenes 4-1. (Reporting by Philip O’Connor, Editing by Pritha Sarkar)