Sweden’s World Cup hopes in shreds after 2-0 defeat by Switzerland
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Switzerland's Granit Xhaka celebrates scoring their first goal in the 2-0 win over Sweden.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
STOCKHOLM – Sweden coach Jon Dahl Tomasson insisted that he is still the right man to lead the team, despite their 2-0 loss to Switzerland in a World Cup qualifying Group B match on Oct 10.
The Swedes’ hopes of making it to the 2026 tournament are hanging by a thread, after Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka scored from the spot to help the visitors win their third straight qualifier.
More than 50,000 fans turned up in Solna on a chilly October night, many of them booing Sweden’s Danish coach Tomasson before kick-off, with a banner unveiled after the loss to the Swiss calling for his resignation.
“I understand the supporters, they want results and victories. Football is about emotions,” he said.
“We got a slap in the face, but it’s not over yet. We believe in this. We were fighting for first place, now it has changed. Teams will take points from each other in the group, we saw that today. We can be second if we beat Kosovo.
“I think I’m the man to lead Sweden to the World Cup. See you in Gothenburg on Monday.”
Switzerland top the group with nine points from their opening three games, with Kosovo second on four points and Slovenia third on two after those two teams played out a 0-0 draw in Pristina. The Swedes are bottom with one point.
The writing was on the wall from the fourth minute, when Switzerland striker Breel Embolo hit the far post with a header from a corner as Sweden were outplayed throughout.
Striker Alexander Isak struck the foot of the post for the hosts in the 26th minute before teeing up Lucas Bergvall for their best chance of the game, but the 19-year-old somehow managed to get the ball caught under his feet with the goal at his mercy.
That move proved costly when the Swiss took the lead in the 65th minute, after Alexander Bernhardsson sent Djibril Sow sprawling in the box with a push in the back, and Xhaka blasted the resulting penalty straight down the middle.
A frustrating night for the Swedes was made worse when Switzerland substitute Johan Manzabi’s tame effort was deflected past goalkeeper Viktor Johansson in second-half stoppage time, condemning them to a second defeat in three games that leaves their qualifying chances in tatters.
Despite little to suggest his side can reach the 2026 Finals in North America, Tomasson remained defiant.
“That was not a knockout. No, not at all,” he added.
“We have Slovenia and Kosovo who drew. I said in the beginning when we saw this draw, this pool can (all) lose and win against each other. So that means if we win against Kosovo, we’ll be probably second.”
The group winners qualify directly for the World Cup with the runners-up going into the play-offs.
The Swedes will host Kosovo on Oct 13 – the side who beat them 2-0 in Pristina in September – on the same day Slovenia face Switzerland. REUTERS
