It had only been a few minutes when Kosovare Asllani got a dream opportunity to give Sweden the lead against Wales.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd sent the ball towards the goal and at the far post, Kosovare Asllani only had to tap it in to make it 1–0.
But:
I thought it would go in, so I didn't want to steal a goal. Sometimes you're stupid and unselfish, she says.
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But I don't know if I was offside either, but I let it go because I thought it would go into the goal. It's something you regret now, but it happens in a millisecond.
The miss was symptomatic of the Nations League clash against Wales. Sweden created a lot of chances – some of them really good – but had a desperately hard time converting them.
In the end, the team had to settle for 1–1 – just like in Wales earlier this year.
I don't know what to say. I mean, it's clear that it's entirely our own responsibility. We have chances to score and only have ourselves to blame. It's as simple as that, she says.
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Tough doping test
The Swede, who normally plays for London City in the English second division, comes out to the interview zone outside Gamla Ullevi long after everyone else.
The 1–1 match against Wales is long over and the arena has already closed.
The reason: she had to take a doping test, adding to the disappointment of the match.
It's the same thing every time there's a doping test. There are many in line, someone is staring at you, and you're drained after the match. It takes time, she notes tiredly.
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Sweden leads despite the point loss against Wales in the Nations League group and has everything in its own hands ahead of the final matches against Italy and Denmark in the May-June shift.
"Converting our chances"
But ahead of this summer's European Championship, both one thing and another in Sweden's play need to be improved, believes Kosovare Asllani.
It's hard to say exactly what, she says.
But definitely one thing is to convert our chances, of course.
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Will you be more selfish next time a similar opportunity arises like against Wales?
Yes, I probably have to do that. It wasn't like I missed the ball or something. We haven't gotten that far yet, but it was really unselfish.
Unselfish and stupid, maybe you can say.
