Potter leads Sweden to 5-1 World Cup win over Tunisia
7 reported
Graham Potter’s Sweden side opened their World Cup campaign with a 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico. The win comes after Potter was sacked by West Ham in September and by Chelsea before that, leading some to question his managerial future. Potter said after the match that the team felt confident in their work but that results are never guaranteed until the game is played. Sweden scored five goals against Tunisia, more than the four they managed in the entire group stage of their qualifying campaign under predecessor Jon Dahl Tomasson. Potter was appointed Sweden boss in October after Tomasson’s dismissal, but the team finished bottom of their qualifying group without a single victory. They reached the World Cup through the play-off path, beating Ukraine and Poland. The victory puts Sweden in a strong position to reach the last 32, with their next match against the Netherlands on Saturday.
What’s reported
Sweden defeated Tunisia 5-1 in their World Cup Group F match at Estadio Monterrey in Mexico.
Graham Potter was sacked by West Ham in September and by Chelsea before that.
Potter said after the win: “You never know how things are going to go. We were optimistic because we felt confident in the work.”
Sweden scored five goals in this match, more than the four they scored in the entire group stage of qualifying under predecessor Jon Dahl Tomasson.
Sweden finished bottom of their qualifying group behind Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia without a single victory in six games.
They reached the World Cup via the play-off path, beating Ukraine and Poland.
Sweden’s next match is against the Netherlands on Saturday at 18:00 BST.
Key figures
Graham Potter, Sweden head coach
Alexander Isak, Liverpool striker
Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal frontman
Victor Lindelof, Sweden defender
Kristoffer Nordfelt, Sweden goalkeeper (unused substitute in 2018)
Jon Dahl Tomasson, Potter’s predecessor as Sweden boss
George Raynor, manager of Sweden’s 1958 World Cup runner-up team
Sources: BBC News
