This was no fairytale arrival for Graham Potter, who must take Sweden to next summer’s World Cup via the most difficult route possible. A weakened side were well beaten by Switzerland, a country whose aptitude they should be aiming to at least match, ultimately paying for frailties at both ends. Disastrous defending brought the soft spot kick from which Granit Xhaka put the home side back in front on the hour, undoing an impressive recovery with Benjamin Nygren cancelling out Breel Embolo’s goal.
Dan Ndoye, a threat throughout, deservedly scored another and the replacement Johan Manzambi added late gloss. There were few flourishes from a clearly rusty Alexander Isak on his introduction from the bench. It meant Switzerland will, in the fair assumption that they do not lose by six goals in Kosovo on Tuesday, compete on the highest stage once again and continue to be a benchmark for Potter’s adopted country.
Potter’s quick reimmersion into his new employers’ culture had extended to giving the vast majority of his pre-match press conference in Swedish. It was no surprise, then, that he could be seen belting out the national anthem before kick-off, a fact appreciated by the band of around 200 away fans. They had hardly travelled in numbers but then Sweden, with only a point to show from their Group B endeavours, had offered little recent encouragement. A playoff spot is already nailed on due to their brighter fortunes in the Nations League, although defeat in Geneva would confirm their place among the unseeded contenders.
