Sweden top group to earn more rest and more play

ST PETERSBURG • Sweden winger Emil Forsberg hailed his side's mentality as they topped their Euro 2020 group ahead of Spain after a thrilling 3-2 win over Poland that earned them a few extra days of rest ahead of their last-16 tie on Tuesday.

The Swedes opened with a dour 0-0 draw against Spain and beat Slovakia 1-0 thanks to a Forsberg penalty. He scored two more against the Poles as Sweden finished on seven points, two ahead of Spain in Group E.

"It's fun to score two goals, to win the group. It feels strange to stand here and say we won after the kind of game it was, but we won the group and it feels fantastic," Forsberg told Sweden's TV4.

"We knew that they'd come out with full power and try to win the game, we tried to defend well and counter them and as luck would have it we got an early goal."

The RB Leipzig winger could only watch as another big-name Bundesliga attacker, Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski, scored twice to bring the Poles level, but a late goal by Viktor Claesson proved to be the winner.

"It showed how strong we are. There weren't many who thought that we could win this group ahead of Spain. I'm incredibly proud of the team, the mentality we have shown," Forsberg added.

The 29-year-old is one of six players who have scored three goals in the tournament, and he will get more opportunities when the Swedes take on Ukraine at Hampden Park on Tuesday.

Captain Sebastian Larsson and coach Janne Andersson are both looking forward to a break after three tough group games.

"I'd be lying if I said it hadn't been taxing on the body, but it should be like that - it's the Finals of the Euros, but then we'll be right back at it," Larsson said.

Andersson praised his players, calling them "warriors" and adding that "their sense of sacrifice deserves praise".

After losing to eventual winners Portugal on penalties in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, Poland have now gone out in the group stage at the past two major Finals.

"We are disappointed, myself, my staff and all my players because we deserved much more than what we got," said Poland coach Paulo Sousa, whose team are reliant on Lewandowski, who has 12 goals in his last 13 starts.

"We cannot concede silly goals like we have been."

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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LAST-16 FIXTURES

WALES V DENMARK

Sunday, midnight

Sunday, 3am

Monday, midnight

Monday, 3am

Tuesday, midnight

Tuesday, 3am

Wednesday, midnight

Wednesday, 3am