Sweden 3 Poland 2: Swedes pinch top spot at death and could face England in quarters again
SWEDEN claimed top spot in Group E after a thriller in Saint Petersburg, as well as a potential quarter-final date with England.
At 2-0 ahead just short of the hour they looked to be coasting.
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But Robert Lewandowski struck twice in an incredible comeback from Poland to put them within touching distance of the next round.
They needed a third, they needed the win.
Then in the fourth minute of injury time Sweden sub Dejan Kulusevski held the ball up brilliantly swivelled and fed the overlapping Viktor Claesson to fire home.
The hope gained for Poland from a 1-1 draw against Spain was extinguished.
Now Sweden march on in having topped their group in impressive style having drawn with Spain and beaten both Slovakia and now Poland.
They are likely to face either Ukraine or Finland in the last-16… then the winners of England’s clash next in a potential repeat of the 2018 World Cup.
What a start they had, ahead after just 82 seconds as Emil Forsberg scored the second quickest goal in Euros history.
The fastest is from Dimitri Kirichenteo for Russia against eventual champions Greece in 2004 after 67 seconds.
The ball broke to him after the brilliant Alexandar Isak was clattered by Kamil Glik.
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Forsberg, scorer of the winning penalty against Slovakia, produced a brilliant finish, back across the goalkeeper into the far bottom corner.
Lewandowski, who got the goal for Poland that earned them a shock draw against Spain, should have equalised in the 17th minute.
Somehow he managed to head the ball off the woodwork twice, from the same corner.
The first header was understandable as the ball came at him from speed in but offered the rebound, and goalkeeper Robin Olsen struggling, he somehow but the bar again.
Sweden made it two in the 58th minute thanks to a fantastic break from substitute Dejan Kulusevski from his own half down the right wing.
He cut inside and teed up Forsberg for a cool side footed finish.
That’s three for him now after converting the only goal of the game against Slovakia from the penalty spot.
Done and dusted?
But wait Poland were not dead and just three minutes later Lewandowski showed his class by curling a shot into the far top corner.
Jacob Swierczok thought he had the equaliser with a close range stab home but VAR denied him by inches.
Then in the 84th minute Lewandowski had a second and Poland were level.
Substitute Przemyslaw Frankowski provided the cross from the left and Lewandowski seemed surprised that the ball found him in so much space in front of goal and he finished it.
One more and they are through, but Sweden snatched it an now face the Czech Republic in the next round, with the winner of England’s Round of 16 clash against the runners-up of Group F then on the horizon.
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