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There were many good things in Sweden’s 2-1 win against Croatia. And although the feeling afterwards could have been much better, the victory delivered two clear messages from the Euro Cup.
Croatia’s lucky reduction goal means that Croatia regained the situation that probably gives it a place in the highest A level also in the next edition of the Football Nations League.
But when that bitter aftertaste has been removed, there is plenty to rejoice in.
The victory ended a four-game losing streak in the Nations League. A new defeat had been a serious blow to self-confidence and had created doubts in the team.
This triple It’s a powerful stroke that will vibrate in the players’ bodies as the cursed winter crown turns into a brighter summer at the European Championship.
The victory came in a situation where the darkness of November fell like a wet blanket on the Swedish people and all the curves that have to do with the covid go in the wrong direction.
The victory also came with two individual positive messages.
Dejan Kulusevski will be very useful for the Swedish attacking game in the European Championship and Marcus Danielson clearly showed that he should be one of two midfielders there.
The win was also a 90-minute journey plus the addition of a breakthrough that was worrisome.
After four defeats In four Nations League games in the fall, the Swedish leadership chose a starting eleven that, in theory, looked more cowardly. Out with Robin Quaison, upstairs with Dejan Kulusevski at the top and with Sebastian Larsson, the national team player with 99 lives, from the start on the one hand.
It was a step back from the offensive lineups that characterized Sweden in the fall. But it wasn’t a throwback from the forward thinking game idea that Sweden had during the dark autumn.
The starting eleven was a clear message that both suspended and covid-positive national team captain Janne Andersson and her radar friend Peter Wettergren did not believe that a three-player midfield with offense as the greatest strength would also be able to balance. defensive play.
Because it was balance that they wanted and it was balance that they achieved and they achieved much more.
And the one Dejan Kulusevski demonstrated more clearly the importance of balance for a footballer when, using a combination of strength, technique and balance, he made it 1-0 in the 36th minute.
Sweden had started the match with a good pressure game (Berg eliminated Modric) and a good combination (Emil Forsberg’s feet were happy). The pieces of the team held together well and the aggressiveness was good.
A lot was really good during the first half, but around the 20th minute Sweden became greedy, started looking for unnecessarily difficult passes and Croatia was invited to the match.
But right there, Sweden impressed a lot. Sweden was not dejected and shaken by the fact that the Croats started drumming, but they quickly found their way back to balance, combinations and opportunities.
I was very happy to see the team that stood out in the starting XI in advance. Marcus Danielson as a central defender along with Victor Nilsson Lindelöf.
The former Armed Forces Sweden now suffers from a shortage of midfielders and it is not really clear who will form the midfielder pair at the European Championship. If Nilsson Lindelöf’s back holds up, it hits him and, as I wrote before the game, I believe and hope that the former teammate of the time in Västerås is the EC colleague of “Vigge”.
What I like about Danielson is his combination of calm and confident back and a look and a forehead that is good for offense. Danielson started the play as if he had played a long time in the national team and the last thing that happened in the first half was that he headed 2-0 in a corner.
In the second half, Croatia, of course, took a step forward. Sweden fell back at first, but luckily it didn’t sink too far. Also, Sweden dared to hold the ball and look for passing combinations when the opportunity existed and that was how Albin Ekdal got the opportunity where the match should have died out.
But that with Ekdal and shooting on goal they don’t work together in the national team. Neither in match 55 he managed to put the overlap he had.
3-0 there, in the 63rd minute, and Sweden was set to remain at Tier A of the Nations League.
Then came the Croatian onslaught. It didn’t show up, but the receipt came through anyway.
In one of the few scattered attacks, a pole was sent towards Ivan Perisic, who nodded towards Marcus Danielson, who barely had time to notice that he got him into his own goal.
A shit goal is a shit goal, but that counts too.
Danielson had then a magnificent header that seemed to make it 3-1 but Dominik Livakovic saved. It was so typical of this football year.
Croatia is now looking to take third place in the group and live at the top of the Nations League division. But Sweden will go to France and play on Tuesday and Sweden still have a chance to beat Croatia, thanks to the good performance on Saturday night.
Read more: Shooting star Kulusevski gave Sweden hope
