With a quarterfinal spot at stake, Sweden put the pedal to the metal from the start at Swissporarena in Lucerne. Kosovare Asllani headed against the crossbar after a few minutes of play. Madelen Janogy did the same shortly thereafter.
Poland held out for just over 27 minutes. Then Filippa Angeldahl sent the ball down to Kosovare Asllani, who just before the ball rolled over the goal line, chipped it over the Polish defense – and Stina Blackstenius only had to head in her 14th championship goal.
Blackstenius had the chance to increase the harvest several times in the first half but did not succeed, despite, among other things, a free shot.
It would still be solved.
Two new names
National team coach Peter Gerhardsson made two changes compared to the opening win against Denmark, both on the left in the defense. Out with Linda Sembrant and Jonna Andersson, in with Amanda Ilestedt and Amanda Nildén.
Nildén, however, got injured at the end of the first half and was substituted at halftime. From the bench, she saw Sweden's team captain Kosovare Asllani send Poland out of the European Championship.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd played a one-two on the right flank with the help of Filippa Angeldahl and pushed the ball forward in front of the goal. An unmarked Asllani put her head to it, and 2–0 was a fact.
Poland has nothing to be ashamed of in their first championship. The tournament has meant a breakthrough for women's football in the country, with millions of TV viewers and loud support from the stands.
The Poles stood up well against world third-ranked Germany in the opening match (0–2), and did not back down on Tuesday evening either.
But it's not always enough to be good, especially not against a championship fox like Sweden.
It was a good performance by the team, and now it's just about focusing on the next match. We want to win against Germany, we don't want to go in and think that we want a draw, says Asllani.
There was still excitement during the last half hour.
The battle for group victory
Three points were enough for Sweden to secure advancement to the quarterfinals (at the expense of Poland and Denmark). But it required a win with at least three goals to pass Germany in the group and get the advantage of being able to play to the result when the countries meet in the group final on Saturday, says.
In the 77th minute, the Swedish cheering came – twice, in fact.
First: When Fridolina Rolfö, injured at the start of the championship, was substituted in and got her first European Championship minutes in Switzerland.
Then: When Lina Hurtig fixed the potentially crucial 3–0 goal.
On Jonna Andersson's corner, the newly minted Fiorentina striker jumped and headed in 3–0. Poland hit the crossbar with a long shot in stoppage time, but Sweden held tight.
We make a good effort overall, and then there were nice goals. We should maybe have scored a few more. Defensively, we have good control, says the national team coach to Viaplay.
Now a draw is enough for Sweden at Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich on Saturday to snatch first place in group C.
