A new national team captain and a new way of playing. It’s all about preparing for the Nations League for the men’s national team, which lost Jon Dahl Tomasson’s debut match as national team captain 5-2 in Portugal.
– A difficult match and a great challenge. That was to be expected. It’s not fun to lose and concede five goals. We have started a journey and are taking small steps. We have to be ready for the Nations League in September, he says in Viaplay.
The men’s national team with a greeting to Kristoffer Olsson before the international match against Portugal.
Facing world number seven Portugal away from home in front of an ecstatic crowd in Guimarães is no easy task. Sweden and Jon Dahl Tomasson experienced that on Thursday. The first international match for Sweden’s new national team captain was a tough story against a cheerful Portugal who won 5-2.
– In terms of results, it is clear that it is not approved. We always want to get a good result. But it wasn’t prio today. We tried to go out and emulate the game he wants us to play. It won’t be a perfect first game. We have to try to do a little better for the next match, says Alexander Isak to Viaplay.
Sweden started the match strongly. In the first 10-15 minutes, Sweden put the pressure on high and got rewards in the form of won balls and a Portugal that sometimes looked under pressure. After just three minutes, Alexander Isak came forward from the right, challenged and played the ball diagonally to the back of a Portuguese defender. The bounce forced Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patrício into a reflex save.
The more the half suffered, the more dangerous Portugal became in their conversions and the less Sweden got hold of the ball and the game.
Such a conversion then gave the home team 1-0 in the 24th minute. Bernardo Silva drove the ball up, challenged and shot at the post. The rebound went out to Rafael Leäo, who finished firmly on the crossbar.
Nine minutes later, the Portuguese added through Matheus Nunes after a passive Swedish defense and just before the referee was to blow for half time, Portugal also made it 3-0 where Nélson Semedo served a completely alone Bruno Fernandes one or two meters from the goal line.
The second half was more even between the teams and in terms of results it ended 2-2, although Sweden were saved on a couple of occasions by very fine saves from Robin Olsen.
But like the first half, Tomasson’s national team started very well. Jens Cajuste shot on goal, Dejan Kulusevski just outside, but it was still Portugal who had to extend the lead when Isak Hien was careless in the play-off phase and three Portuguese ended up alone with Olsen. Fernandes played sideways to the newly replaced Bruma, who made it 4-0.
However, Sweden responded directly this time. Isak drove the ball in centrally, hit it out to the right where Kulusevski gave Emil Holm space by jumping over the ball. Holm hit the ball hard behind the defender where Viktor Gyökeres could easily push in the reduction.
Only minutes later, however, Portugal would add once more after Sylvas’ conversion. This time, Gonçalo Ramos got himself on the scoresheet after a pass from Semedo.
However, it was Sweden who had to finish the scoring and it was replaced by Gustaf Nilsson. Kulusevski measured a cross that Nilsson calmly nodded in at the far post.
5-2 was the final score.
– It’s a good way to end a match with a goal, stated national team captain Jon Dahl Tomasson in Viaplay and continued:
– Before this game, Portugal had only conceded two goals in the last ten games, we are happy to have scored two good goals.
For Tomasson, it’s all about preparation and finding the game for future competitive matches.
– Football is about winning matches but in this situation… Our important matches come in September (in the Nations League). Now it’s about implementing a new game system. We wanted to be brave.
Captain Victor Nilsson Lindelöf after the match:
– It was a tough match, and we faced fantastic opposition. It is the first match we play with three preparation days. Everything wasn’t perfect, but we faced a good team. You can never afford to concede so many goals, but at times there were good combinations. We have to work on the details. Against good teams like this, it’s the details that matter.
Already on Monday, the Swedish national team has a chance for revenge. Then against Albania at home at Friends Arena. The match starts at 19.00.