Euro 2020: Forsberg fires Sweden to victory over Slovakia
Emil Forsberg scored Sweden’s first goal of the Euro 2020 from the penalty spot as they edged out Slovakia 1-0 to boost their qualification hopes in Group E on Friday.
After an insipid first half display, Sweden stepped up their intensity in the second half and deservedly earned a penalty in the 77th minute when substitute Robin Quaison was brought down by Slovakia goalkeeper Martin Dubravka in the box.
Forsberg slotted the penalty into the right hand corner of the goal to take Sweden provisionally top of Group E on four points from two matches.
Having won their opening game against Poland, Slovakia still have a chance to progress to the knockout stage even as they face group favourites Spain in their final game on Wednesday.
Spain, who were forced to settle for a goalless draw with Sweden in their opening game, face Poland in their second match on Saturday.
MATCH FACTS
Sweden have won four of their last seven games at major tournaments (D1 L2), as many victories as they had managed in their previous 19 games at the World Cup and European Championships combined.
Slovakia saw their six-game unbeaten run across all competitions come to an end, with this their first defeat since November 2020 in the UEFA Nations League (0-2 v Czech Republic).
Sweden have kept a clean sheet in their opening two games of a major tournament (World Cup & Euros) for the third time, having previously done so at the World Cup in 2006 and 1974.
88 percent of Sweden’s goals at the European Championships have been scored in the second half of games (23/26), the highest percentage of any side with at least three goals at the tournament.
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Slovakia failed to record a shot on target in this game, just the second time a team have failed to do so at EURO 2020 so far (also Turkey against Italy). It was the first time in their 10 games at major tournaments (World Cup & Euros) that they’ve failed to record at least one in a match.
Alexander Isak completed six dribbles against Slovakia; the most by a player in a game at EURO 2020 so far, and the most by a Swedish player in a game at the tournament since Tomas Brolin at EURO 1992 (7 v Denmark).
Emil Forsberg’s penalty ended a run of 365 minutes without a goal for Sweden at the European Championships, with this their first in the competition since their opening group game at EURO 2016 (v Republic of Ireland).
The average age of Sweden and Slovakia’s starting XI’s in this game was a combined 30 years and 125 days; only once previously at the European Championships has a game featured a higher combined average age across two teams (30y 178d – Greece v Sweden at EURO 2008).