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The League of Nations. Group A3
Alone. Friends Arena
Sweden – Portugal 0: 2
Goals: Cristiano Ronaldo 45, 73
Sweden: Olsen, Kraft, Helander, Jansson, Augustinsson, Svensson, Olsson, Kulushevsky (Ekdal 90), Forsberg (Svanberg 79), Berg, Isak (Quayson 71)
Portugal: Anthony López, Cancello, Pepe, Díaz, Guerreiro, Danilo, Moutinho (Neves 72), Fernandes, Bernardo Silva (Gedesh 22), Felish, Cristiano Ronaldo (Jota 81)
Warnings: Svensson 14 – Guerreiro 57, Felish 88
Removing: Svensson 44 (second yellow)
Chief referee: Danny McCelli (Netherlands)
There has been no such scandal in Swedish football for a long time. Even on the day of the official match of the national team, the media paid much more attention to the conflict between its former leader Zlatan Ibrahimovic and current head coach Janne Andersson. Aftonbladet said the “blues and yellows” now have four rivals in the Nations League group: France, Portugal, Croatia and Zlatan. In the Lusitanian field, the opposite is true: with joy, calm and confidence after the destruction of Croatia (4: 1). And the recovery of its leader Cristiano Ronaldo A Bola has just been titled: “More fun Portugal”. And after the game, the mood of both did not change.
In the first forty minutes, former “Tavria” player Gustav Svensson, who believed that Portugal was weaker as a team under Ronaldo, seemed right. The Swedes started with a powerful and at the same time responsible pressure, they launched into the penalty area from the left, they won the first 15 minutes in possession of the ball. Already in the second minute, Berg’s header from six meters lacked precision. Little by little, the Portuguese returned and took possession of the ball. But without sharpness and speed. And they no longer attacked for Ronaldo’s wing. KriRo could have scored from a corner kick, but Olsen shot it perfectly. Pepe failed in the porter’s room with a different “standard”.
However, at the end of the first half, everything fell into place. Like in the Sweden – France game on Saturday. Not immediately. Olsen brilliantly stopped Ronaldo after throwing Cansela. Svensson’s entry into Moutinho’s leg looked like a breakthrough in the second half. But not for Ronaldo. He has already broken the wall of ridicule with the long-awaited goal from a direct free kick for Juventus. And here he was perfectly right, as in the best years. More than a worthy record of hundreds of goals for the national team. That in the history of all the teams in the world, only he and Ali Daei achieved it.
At the beginning of the second half, the guests did not attempt to finish off the hosts. They just didn’t give up the ball, they shot down the flanks and fired from a distance. Bruno Fernandes, after one of those crosses from the goalkeeper’s line, hit the crossbar. In the middle of time, the hosts have already started to appear in the Lopes penalty area area. And then Ronaldo as if with his hand he was throwing from the area of the Olsen penalty area. Make Sweden your favorite national goal: seven goals. After this, it was not difficult to lead the game to victory.
After a brilliant performance against Croatia, Fernando Santos’ men did not fall into euphoria, but played responsibly and achieved a comfortable victory in a difficult start. Improving the already excellent performance of the guests to 20 goals scored in the last eight away games and 15 of 17 away games without defeat. They are definitely ready to defend the Nations League winner title. And Ronaldo is ready to elude Daei, who requires nine more goals. Swedes? They fought against France and Portugal but lost to both at home. Lack of quality and character … Zlatan?
