EM: Spain and Sweden in the round of 16, Lewandowski fails again

Stand: 8:05 p.m.| Reading time: 3 minutes

Mith the second fastest goal in the history of the European Championship, double goalscorer Emil Forsberg shot world footballer Robert Lewandowski and Poland out of the tournament. Despite his second and third tournament goal (61st minute / 84th), the Bayern goalscorer lost with his team to the preliminary round against Forsbergs Sweden 2: 3 (0: 1) and was eliminated with just one point in fourth.

Lewandowski scored all three Polish European Championship goals, for the first time in the fourth attempt he scored more than one goal in a major tournament – but that was not enough. Sweden’s joker Viktor Claesson scored the winning goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

RB Leipzigs Forsberg meanwhile scored the three tournament goals of the Swedes. On Wednesday he scored the second fastest goal in European Championship history after 83 seconds, and in the 59th minute he added. The previously qualified Swedes survived the preliminary round of an EM for the first time since 2004. The group winners will now face Finland or Ukraine on Tuesday (9 p.m.).

Lewandowski embarrasses himself with double chance

The Swedes had called up their best formation despite the sure progress and only changed once: Robin Quaison from Mainz replaced the hitherto hapless veteran Marcus Berg. With him, Forsberg and Ludwig Augustinsson from Bremen all three Bundesliga players were in the starting line-up. Dejan Kulusevski was in the squad after his corona infection. He came for Quaison after 54 minutes and prepared the 2-0.

The Poles were actually challenged, with midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak returning to yellow-red suspension. But the Swedes scored the fast goal. Forsberg vigorously prevailed against Kamil Jozwiak and hit the earliest goal of this European Championship with a left-footed shot from ten meters.

Lewandowski should have equalized in the 17th minute, but within a few seconds he hit the crossbar twice with his head. The 32-year-old was unlucky in his first attempt to touch it from six meters, the rebound from three meters was actually a mandatory goal for a player of his size.

But the Bayern striker was highly motivated, went ahead and quarreled with his teammates at one point or another. His teammates were always looking for him, but once again Lewandowski had to experience that he wasn’t served the balls as well as in Munich in the national team.

Sweden meet shortly before the end

The Poles ran up wildly and hectically, the Swedes defended the many unimaginative flanks for a long time with Scandinavian calm. Poland’s coach Paulo Sousa, as a player more of a strategist and in 1997 with Borussia Dortmund Champions League winner, drove his team on again and again. The Swedes, who recently impressed mainly with their compactness, were only waiting for a counterattack, but initially did not drive any dangerous ones until the break.

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After the move, the Poles became more determined and quickly came up with chances. But as in the previous games, Robin Olsen proved to be a strong support for the Swedes and parried against Piotr Zielinski (47th) or Krychowiak (51th). Then Sweden set the seemingly decisive counterattack, which Forsberg completed from 14 meters. But only two minutes later Lewandowski hit with a flick and kept the Poles in the game.

Another four minutes later Jakub Swierczok scored the supposed equalizer, but was offside. Lewandowski then really scored to make it 2-2, but that was no longer enough to advance. Because Poland risked everything, Claesson put the finishing touches.

In the parallel game, Spain defeated Slovakia 5-0 (2-0). Own goals by Slovak goalkeeper Martin Dubravka (30th) and his teammate Juraj Kucka (71st) as well as goals from Aymerc Laporte (45th + 3), Pablo Sarabia (56th) and Ferran Torres (67th) secured the Spaniards second place in the table Sweden.

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