(Poland – Sweden 2-0, Portugal – Northern Macedonia 2-0) The FIFA World Cup in Qatar goes without Zlatan Ibrahimovic (40) and Sweden, but the Swedish super striker still wants to continue on the national team.
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– I hope so. As long as I can stay healthy, play and contribute something, I hope so, says Zlatan Ibrahimovic to C More after the loss to Poland in the playoff final.
The 40-year-old still could not answer whether he had played his last international match.
– There is no answer now, says Ibrahimovic, who has only played eleven minutes for Milan in three games since he suffered an Achilles injury in mid-January.
Tip joined the national team under national team manager Erik Hamrén after the European Championships in 2016, and was not back before The World Cup qualifier in March last year – then under Janne Andersson’s leadership.
At the press conference on Tuesday night, Ibrahimovic opened up that an earlier talk with Andersson could lead to a shorter break than that in five years.
– I have not said it to Janne, but I wish I had met him earlier because then it would have been a completely different situation than now. Then he would have seen a completely different animal, says Ibrahimovic.
– I needed a minute with him. Then I would have been back much earlier than I was.
On Tuesday, a World Cup ticket was in the pot when Poland and Sweden barked together at Silesian Stadium in Chorzow, and after a goalless first half, it fell to the Swedes in the second.
Just after the break, the hosts got a penalty kick, when Jesper Karlström put substitute Grzegorz Krychowiak on the ground. Italian referee Daniele Orsato was in no doubt, despite protests from the yellow-clad players.
– I can not say anything other than that there is punishment. If you look at Karlström’s left leg between Krychowiak’s legs. Krychowiak is smart, and comes in front of Karlström who is too hot in his own penalty area, says the Swedish football expert Hasse Backe to C More.
The penalty kick was taken care of by super striker Robert Lewandowski, and sent Poland up 1-0.
1 out of 5Photo: Czarek Sokolowski / AP
Emil Forsberg got an adventurous chance to equalize ten minutes later, but the shot was stopped by the Polish last chance Wojciech Szczesny.
Sweden continued to press for an equalizer that would have given extra innings, but instead Piotr Zielinski doubled the Polish lead after the Swedish stopper Marcus Danielson lost in a reception.
– Gross, gross mistake by Marcus Danielson, says the former national team player Kim Kallström to TV4.
With ten minutes left, Ibrahimovic was thrown in hoping he could perform a miracle. He did not succeed, and the Swedes will thus not be seen when the World Cup in Qatar kicks off in November.
– Everyone is disappointed and depressed, but it is normal when you lose. Everyone wants to play the World Cup and experience the World Cup, but unfortunately it did not happen that way, says Ibrahimovic.
Poland, on the other hand, will qualify for their second straight World Cup. In Russia four years ago, they were knocked out of the group stage.
Portugal are also ready for the World Cup after they defeated Northern Macedonia in their playoff final on Tuesday.
Bruno Fernandes became the great Portuguese hero with his two goals. He was first served by Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo on the 1-0 score, before Diogo Jota was the waiter when Fernandes doubled the lead.
– The most important thing is that Portugal won. Everyone has ambitions, and Cristiano and I are no exception. Usually it is he who scores and I who score, but today it was the opposite, says Fernandes according to the BBC.
There were no more goals, and Portugal is qualified for its sixth straight World Cup.
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