Anthony Elanga’s goal helped Sweden secure a place in the FIFA World Cup round of 32 after a 1-1 draw against Japan on Friday, June 26, but the forward’s emotional reaction at full-time stole the spotlight. Believing Sweden needed a victory to progress, Elanga was left frustrated after the final whistle, prompting teammate Alexander Isak to jokingly scold him once the qualification scenario became clear.
Sweden finished third in Group F, one point behind runners-up Japan, but advanced as one of the best third-placed teams in the tournament.
Isak admitted he had to calm Elanga down after the final whistle, revealing the winger had not realised that a draw was enough to secure qualification.
“He got a little scolding from me there. He was a little frustrated at the end of the match, and you can understand that now,” Isak told reporters, as quoted by Reuters. “He was obviously desperate for us to score another goal.”
Elanga later explained that he remained focused solely on trying to win the match and was unaware of the standings.
“I just shouted, come on, we can go for more. I got cramp at the end but didn’t want to stop running,” he said.
SWEDEN QUALIFIES FROM GROUP F
Sweden’s qualification came through the tournament’s best third-placed teams rule, which allows the highest-ranked teams finishing third in their groups to advance to the knockout stage.
Although Japan secured second place in Group F with the draw, Sweden’s point from the Japan game was enough to edge into the round of 32 based on their overall standing compared to other third-placed nations.
Their next opponents will only be confirmed after the remaining group-stage fixtures are completed.
Elanga’s determination was evident throughout the closing stages of the contest as he urged teammates to push for a winning goal despite suffering from cramp.
His visible frustration after the final whistle contrasted with the celebrations around him, as he briefly believed Sweden’s World Cup campaign had come to an end.
The confusion was not limited to Elanga. Debutant goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, whose diving save late in the first half helped preserve the draw, admitted he also did not realise Sweden had progressed until after the match.
Head coach Graham Potter, meanwhile, chose to see the lighter side of the incident, praising Elanga’s commitment while joking about his misunderstanding.
“It couldn’t have been any clearer for him. He’s obviously thinking about something else, bless him. I love him at the moment, but dear me,” Potter said.
Sweden will now shift their attention to the knockout rounds, where they await confirmation of their round-of-32 opponents once the remaining final group-stage matches conclude.
FIFA World Cup | FIFA World Cup Schedule | FIFA World Cup Points Table | Football News
– Ends
