Heartbreak for Poland as Sweden score stoppage time winner to secure Euro 2020 knockout stages

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:06 am

Sweden outfoxed a superb Poland to secure their place in the Euro 2020 knockout stages, winning 3-2 on Wednesday in a thrilling Group E final match.

Poland fought a tough battle through rising temperatures at St Petersburg but it was not enough to collect the three points they needed to go through to the knockout stages, as Sweden's Viktor Claesson scored the winner in stoppage time to go top of Group E.

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Sweden's Emil Forsberg netted his side's first goal after just 82 seconds -- the second quickest goal in European Championship history after Dmitri Kirichenko's 65-second shot in 2004 during Russia vs. Greece.

Poland's Robert Lewandowski battled hard and suffered hard luck in the first half, missing a staggering shot which hit the woodwork twice with a header from a corner rebounding off the crossbar, adding insult to injury for Poland.

However, Poland picked up the pace on approach to half-time with Piotr Zielinski striking 20 yards out but it was knocked over the crossbar by Sweden keeper Robin Olsen. Zielinski came back in the second half with another long range attack but to no avail.

Sweden's Viktor Claesson scored the winner in stoppage time.
Maxim Shemetov - Pool/Getty Images

Lewandowski redeemed himself in the second half for Poland to claw the score back to 2-1, and again 13 minutes later to equalise from a Marcus Danielson cross. 

Desperate Poland did have a third attempt with Jakub Swierczok shooting from a Przemysław Frankowski cross, but it was ruled out for offside.

Forsberg's first goal was collected from an Alexander Isak assist who ran the ball to the edge of the box, with a final strike into the far corner, while the second takes him to three goals in two matches across his side's Euro 2020 campaign.

Sweden and Spain go through to the knockout stages, as Spain beat Slovakia 5-0. Sweden are set to face either Ukraine or Finland, as Spain will face Croatia on June 29.