Anthony Elanga has put ache in a post-match interview all the way down to not realising his aim in opposition to Japan would ship Sweden to the World Cup 2026 knockout stage.
On his full finals debut, Elanga scored for a second consecutive match to earn the Blagult a 1-1 draw of their closing group stage contest and a last-32 assembly with France, Norway, Germany or Switzerland.
“I bought a cramp on the finish however I didn’t wish to cease,” stated Elanga, whose facet recovered from a 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands on matchday two to complete third in Group F, on 4 factors.
“I’ve cramp, so it hurts whereas I’m standing right here. I used to be simply screaming ‘come on – we are able to go for extra’. I screamed it in English.
“I didn’t know on the finish that we had been via. They tried to scream at me beforehand that we solely wanted one level. I simply needed to maintain operating.”
Sweden vs Japan: Elanga World Cup aim ‘instinctive’
Celtic’s Daizen Maeda had put Japan forward and Sweden’s progress doubtful six minutes earlier than Elanga, who price Newcastle £52 million from Nottingham Forest final July, took on two gamers and minimize inside from the fitting earlier than discovering the far nook of the web with an beautiful long-range roller within the 62nd minute in Arlington.
“It was extra instinctive,” Elanga stated. “Instinctively, you prepare on issues like this each single day.
“The coaches will let you know that is one thing I work on each single day and, if you’re in conditions like that, it’s extra about simply specializing in the contact greater than the shot.
“It set the tone of the sport and we had the momentum till the tip. We might have created extra alternatives and scored.”
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Factors | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 7 |
| Japan | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 5 |
| Sweden | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| Tunisia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 12 | -10 | 0 |
World Cup 2026: Isak Hien ‘didn’t look nice’
Sweden head coach Graham Potter modified three gamers, bringing in Elanga for Benjamin Nygren, Jacob Widell Zetterstrom for goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt and Elliot Stroud for Jesper Karlstrom in midfield.
“I’m blissful to get to start out as a result of representing Sweden at this event is the best factor there may be,” stated Elanga, who known as Isak Hien “necessary” after the Atalanta defender was pressured off when he appeared to overstretch throughout the first half.
“I haven’t seen him but but it surely didn’t look too nice. I’m blissful for the sake of everybody who performed and I’m going to test on Isak.”
Sweden World Cup fixtures: ‘All huge groups’
Sweden’s exhibiting was respectable in opposition to a Japan facet who’re 10 matches unbeaten, having defeated groups together with Brazil and England in friendlies earlier than drawing 2-2 with the Netherlands on the finals and thrashing Tunisia 4-0.
“Each recreation is a problem,” Elanga stated of the prospect of being underdogs within the knockout section.
“You’ve seen Japan, who’re unbeaten in a very long time. France, Germany, Norway – they’re all huge groups, so we’ve simply bought to take what comes and deal with that.”
Anthony Elanga stats: Sweden, Newcastle
Elanga didn’t rating within the Premier League final season and contributed a single help within the high flight, though he scored twice within the Champions League with a double within the Magpies’ 7-2 closing defeat at Barcelona.
The 27-year-old additionally struck in Newcastle’s last match of their EFL Cup title defence, dropping 3-1 at Manchester Metropolis.
He has been comparatively prolific for Sweden, scoring 5 instances in his final 13 appearances together with the opener of their World Cup play-off in opposition to Poland in March, after they gained 3-2 at residence to achieve the finals.
