Alexander Isak and Gustaf Nilsson are injured. Viktor Gyökeres went goalless against Slovakia. What does it matter? When the national team can now rely on names like Yasin Ayari, Ken Sema, and Sebastian Nanasi.
But they and the rest of the national team needed time.
Bratislava, on Friday:
The offense was sparkling, the energy output maxed out when Ayari and Sema celebrated their first national team goals. Above all, the first 45 minutes against Slovakia offered the forward-thinking, brave national team Tomasson wants to see.
Tallinn, on Monday:
Three days later, he saw the opposite during the initial 25 minutes. A national team that was back where it shouldn't be. Stumbling backward, immobile, and uncertain forward, collectively caught off guard by Estonia's initial intensity.
Injured and Suspended
Alex Douglas (suspended against Slovakia) and Isak Hien received so-called professional yellow cards when they couldn't keep up with Estonia's counterattacks.
Estonia had done their homework. Sweden got a taste of their own, successful tactic against Slovakia and faced a physical, aggressive press.
It smelled of fish in Tallinn.
Douglas fell unchallenged and was forced to substitute. Emil Krafth took his place in the three-man backline, while Niclas Eliasson came in as a winger.
Eliasson has a completely different offensive instinct in his football feet.
The Estonians tired, Eliasson, Ayari, Anton Salétros, Sema, Dejan Kulusevski got more room to maneuver. Not to mention Nanasi.
He turned inward on Hien's pass, shot in stride. A classy goal and a single long Swedish exhalation when the match approached 30 played minutes.
Completed the Success
Seven minutes later, he set his foot to Salétros' pass, played forward by Eliasson, and completed his success in his first competitive national team start.
The dam burst, and out flowed talent, fantasy, and chances in abundance. Estonia was pushed back into their own penalty area as the national team played football. A bit too much play, perhaps.
In the end, Gyökeres stepped forward, scored 3–0, and his tenth national team goal.
Hugo Bolin got to make his national team debut in the end, substituting for Nanasi. In added time, Daniel Svensson also got to make his first blue-yellow minutes.
Henrik Skiöld/TT
Facts: Upcoming Matches in the Nations League
TT
The group stage of the Nations League ends in a month. Here are the matches in Sweden's group in the C division.
November 16: Sweden–Slovakia, Azerbaijan–Estonia.
November 19: Slovakia–Estonia, Sweden–Azerbaijan.
The group winner advances to the B division. The group runner-up plays a playoff for a spot in the B division. The fourth and last team in the group risks being relegated to the D division.
