Emil Forsberg shone in the eighth against Ukraine. But he will remember it more for the misses than for his big game.
– It is among the heaviest I have been through in my football career, says Forsberg after the 2-1 loss.
Emil Forsberg was the giant of the plan when Sweden fell against Ukraine.
During periods in the match it seemed almost impossible for the opponents to take the ball from him.
He turned and twisted – paced and controlled games.
– It felt good, absolutely. But it was of no use, says an extremely disappointed Emil Forsberg afterwards.
– It’s quiet, it’s empty, it’s a disappointed aura in the dressing room. Football is brutal.
It was in the 43rd minute Emil Forsberg set the important Swedish equalizer. Alexander Isak discovered him outside the penalty area. The ball went into goal via a defender.
The goal was his fourth and said EM.
– It feels shitty right now. I would rather have scored zero goals if we had moved on, says Forsberg.
Emil Forsberg would get several chances in the second half to increase the goal harvest.
With 55 minutes played, Isak nearly put the visitors another one up as he broke through in the middle and fired from just outside the box, but his shot passed just over the bar.
In the 68th minute he sent a shot into the crossbar.
– I had a good feeling on both shots. The one who takes the post is screwed outwards instead of inwards. It’s sour. The other… goes just a few centimeters lower, it goes in, says Forsberg with tears in his throat.
– We’re out now. It’s boring and hard to take in.
Emil Forsberg thinks that Sweden performed better than before in the European Championships and had a grip on Ukraine.
But Marcus Danielson’s red card in the long run was decisive.
– It changes the match completely. We have to defend with one man less, says Forsberg who comforted his teammate afterwards.
– We win and lose as a team. Of course, it’s hard for him. But we have his back.
Artem Dovbyks 2-1 in the 121st minute decided the match.
– An incredible emptiness. I think all Swedes felt a hard blow to the chest. Incredibly hard to ride something like that. Especially when you have struggled with a man less. We had fought so hard to reach penalties, says Forsberg.
– It is among the heaviest I have been through in my football career. To go out this way. We have fought together for so long, had so much fun. We really wanted to continue. It feels incredibly sour.
He could not find much joy in their own fine performances in the European Championships.
– Yes, no, I do not know. It is so difficult to talk about myself right now, says Forsberg who could find comfort in being able to spend time with the family again after a long time in the European Championship bubble.
– It will be good to be able to disconnect football. But this will hurt for a few days. It’s not easy.
Read more:
Marcus Danielson apologized to the Ukrainian player
Janne Andersson: “The worst I’ve been through”
Johan Esk: Sweden’s EC ends as a scene in “Pang in construction”
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