Sweden secured a 2–0 victory over North Macedonia in their final European Under-21 Championship qualifier, providing outgoing manager Daniel Bäckström with a winning send-off in his final match in charge, Fotbollskanalen reported.
Daniel Bäckström Concludes Four-Year Tenure
Outgoing coach Daniel Bäckström led the Swedish U21 team for four years, finishing his tenure with a clean sheet in a match where qualification was already out of reach. Prior to kickoff, Swedish Football Association General Secretary Niclas Carlnén officially thanked Bäckström for his service.
Five changes were made to the starting lineup following a 3–0 defeat to Poland. Viktor Andersson replaced Elis Jäger in goal, while Oskar Cotton came in at right-back for Adam Herdonsson. Karl Gunnarsson, Charlie Rosenqvist, and Leo Östman also stepped into the starting XI.
Reflecting on the gesture and the result, Bäckström told Fotbollskanalen that the final match felt special and that he appreciated the recognition before kickoff. He noted that the team worked hard to deliver a strong performance.
Victor Svensson and Alieu Njie Seal the Victory
Midfielder Victor Svensson opened the scoring in the 15th minute, converting a setup from Noah Tolf for his first goal at the U21 international level. The Sirius player nearly scored earlier in the second minute when he tried to nutmeg North Macedonia goalkeeper Djekov Ljupche.
Sweden maintained control throughout the first half, though Alieu Njie hit the crossbar in the 32nd minute. Six minutes into the second half, Rosenqvist found Njie in front of goal, and the Elfsborg forward finished with a composed shot for his own debut U21 international goal.
Njie celebrated his milestone strike by running straight to Bäckström. Speaking afterward, Njie told Fotbollskanalen that while he would have preferred to qualify for the tournament, he was glad to secure a final moment of joy for a coach he described as a genuine person and a top manager.
Sweden Moves to Third Place with Late Debuts
The 2–0 win moved Sweden to third place in the qualifying group, finishing 14 points behind Poland and three points ahead of North Macedonia. Sweden had entered the match knowing they could no longer reach the European Championship.
Bäckström utilized his bench in the second half, handing international debuts to Gustaf Westström and Sixten Gustafsson when they replaced Svensson and Tolf in the 75th minute. Malte Frejd Pålsson also made his debut in the closing minutes, coming on for Östman.
The win marked Sweden’s first victory at this level since defeating Armenia on November 18, 2025.
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