Ayari had his feet and his dazzling football brain in most of the best things.
Midfielder broke into the penalty area, poked the ball forward to Anthony Elanga. The 23-year-old showed an outstanding calm when he scored the opening goal – his fifth national team goal – with his right foot.
Dahl Tomasson's 18 months of team building seemed during the first 45 to pass the final inspection without major remarks. And that without players like Alexander Isak, Dejan Kulusevski and Victor Nilsson Lindelöf.
Ayari is a given as a midfielder. The 21-year-old does not doubt his ability at all and carries an enormous fighting spirit. The disappointment was however great after the match.
It's tough. We lead until the last minutes and to concede a goal in that way, it's tough, says Ayari in Viaplay's broadcast and continues:
I think we control the match. We have to close earlier if I'm going to be completely honest. It's unfortunate.
Shares the disappointment
National team coach Jon Dahl Tomasson shared Ayari's feelings after the match.
Extreme disappointment to concede a goal at the end of the match. We make a top performance on a tough spot. But extreme disappointment, he says.
The team that makes the fewest mistakes usually wins football matches. Unfortunately, Robin Olsen made his biggest mistake during his long national team career.
Already 38 seconds into the second half, he let Sandi Lovric's long-range shot slip through his hands.
"Gets stuck in hesitation"
Elanga and Bernhardsson stepped off after just over an hour, but Isak had to stay. In came Benjamin Nygren and Niclas Eliasson.
It was on its way to a draw when Ayari threw himself forward and scored the opening goal behind the World goalkeeper Jan Oblak, Atlético Madrid.
But it didn't hold. Zan Vipotnik forced in the equalizer in the 90th minute. Team captain Isak Hien gives his view on the annoying goal.
It's a ball that gets to bounce. Then it becomes unnecessarily difficult. It's a ball we should handle. At that stage of the match, you don't want to concede a goal, especially not a goal in that way, he says and continues:
It's like everyone gets stuck a bit in hesitation. It becomes a bit too tame and too easy when the ball bounces down. It feels cheap. Great disappointment after we make such a good match.
The World Championship qualification continues on Monday, against a Kosovo that was defeated 0-4 by Switzerland.
