When Sweden started the Nations League autumn with a 2-1 victory at home against Romania on Friday, the attacking duo Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres scored the goals.
Liverpool star Isak, however, suffered a minor injury and left the squad on Sunday. Replacement Benjamin Nygren needed only eight minutes before introducing himself to the 24,637 spectators at the National Arena in Solna.
Team captain Victor Nilsson Lindelöf rose highest to meet a corner and, close to goal, Celtic striker Nygren was able to head the ball into the net.
Five changes
Compared with the starting line-up against Romania, Graham Potter made a total of five changes, but it was clear that Poland were a tougher opponent. The Poles got into the match - despite superstar Robert Lewandowski being left on the bench.
Viktor Johansson made a couple of sharp saves, but in the 43rd minute the blue-and-yellow goalkeeper had to concede an equaliser when Sebastian Szymanski made it 1-1.
Thus, the Blue and Yellows' poor run continues. The national team has now played 17 straight matches - 12 of them under Potter - without keeping a clean sheet.
It may not matter as long as matches are won. Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari has grown into a key player for the Blue and Yellows. At last summer's World Cup, he scored two goals in the 5-1 victory over Tunisia in the group stage and now the 22-year-old coolly made it 2-1 from a short corner after just over an hour. Ayari receives praise from his central midfield colleague Lucas Bergvall.
It works great. Yasin and I combine well and play the ball forward a lot. We are tough in the duels and do what we are good at, controlling and setting the pace, says Bergvall.
“Nothing wrong with it”
On the last evening of March this year, Arsenal star Viktor Gyökeres scored the 3-2 goal against Poland in Solna - the perfect strike that gave the Swedish people a World Cup summer in North America to remember.
In the “return match” in the Nations League, Gyökeres was invisible for a long time, but in the 72nd minute the striker was forgotten by the Poles and the 28-year-old was able to score his 23rd international goal unmarked after a fine cross from Patrik Wålemark.
It was a perfect pass, nothing wrong with it, says Gyökeres.
Gyökeres' 3-1 goal was the last of the match and Sweden tops the group in League B with six points.
We are so brave. With the ball and also without the ball. We really deserved to win, sums up Graham Potter.
Now Bosnia-Herzegovina (four points) awaits on Friday in Zenica. Next Monday the group concludes against Romania (zero points) in Bucharest.
