Internationals | Five-star night for Kulusevski's Sweden, late heartbreak for Paskotsi
Mon 27 March 2023, 22:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
Dejan Kulusevski's Sweden bounced back from defeat in style on Monday night as they put five past Azerbaijan without reply in Stockholm.
Having fallen 3-0 to Belgium on Friday evening at the Friends Arena as they began their Group F campaign, they returned to the 50,000 capacity stadium in the Swedish capital with a vengeance as they claimed their first three points of the group with a 5-0 win. It might have taken them a while to get going with the deadlock not being broken until the 38th minute, but they cruised home in the second half, scoring their second on 65 minutes before three goals in the final 12 minutes wrapped up the victory.
Named man of the match in Friday's defeat to Belgium, Dejan once again started for his nation, picking up his 29th cap, and played 82 minutes for the Blagult before being substituted.
Elsewhere in Group F, there was late heartbreak for Under-21s defender Maksim Paskotsi as Estonia fell to Austria in Linz following an 88th-minute winner.
The encounter at Raiffeisen Arena had started just how Maksim would have hoped as on 25 minutes, Estonia took the lead as Rauno Sappinen put them ahead. However, it was not to last as the hosts levelled the scores through Florian Kainz on 68 minutes before the real killer blow would come as, with just two minutes left to play, Austria snatched all three points via a Michael Gregoritsch winner.
The narrow, yet encouraging, defeat followed a similar night for the Sinisargid on Thursday as they fell 1-0 to Hungary in a friendly. Masksim played the full 90 minutes in that defeat at the Puskas Arena, he then did the same in Linz, picking up his 18th cap.
In the youth groups, Destiny Udogie, currently on loan at Udinese, played the full 90 minutes as Italy Under-21s defeated Ukraine 3-1 in a friendly.
Meanwhile, Academy midfielder George Abbott started as England Under-18s came from behind to defeat Croatia 2-1, playing 61 minutes before being substituted. Goalkeeper Lucas Gunter was an unused substitute.
Tuesday's action
Davinson Sanchez - Colombia away friendly against Japan - kick-off 11.20am
Heung-Min Son - South Korea home friendly against Uruguay - kick-off 12pm
Pape Matar Sarr - Senegal away Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mozambique - kick-off 5pm
Ivan Perisic - Croatia away Euro 2024 qualifier against Turkey - kick-off 7.45pm
Bryan Gil and Pedro Porro - Spain away Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland - kick-off 7.45pm
Joe Rodon - Wales home Euro 2024 qualifier against Latvia - kick-off 7.45pm
Oliver Skipp and Djed Spence - England Under-21s home friendly against Croatia - kick-off 7.45pm
Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett - England Under-20s friendly against France in Spain - kick-off 3pm
