Published 2024-09-06 18.40
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JÖNKÖPING. Sweden’s U21 national team made the process short with Gibraltar at Stadsparksvallen.
The opponents loaded up with kebabs and sweets.
– It doesn’t seem to give great results, says Jusef Erabi.
Sweden’s road to the U21 EC in Slovakia 2025 is tough, but in Friday’s qualifying match against Gibraltar, the Swedish youngsters had no problem scoring goals.
Already in the second minute, Daniel Svensson gave Sweden the lead and Blågult won 9–0. Both Jusef Erabi, Hugo Bolin and U21 debutant Matteo Pérez Vinlöf scored two goals.
– It was fun! Fun to win and to score two goals myself in my debut. I am proud of that, says Pérez Vinlöf.
Close to the record
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The left-back is not a regular goalscorer.
– I don’t usually score goals. It comes a little from time to time. I got a goal and was happy about it. Then came a second and they started thinking about a hat-trick. It was a shame it didn’t come, says Pérez Vinlöf.
If Sweden had pushed in one more goal, it would have meant a tangential record for the U21 national team. The record was set in October 2020 in a European Championship qualifier against Armenia which ended 10–0.
– We were aware of the record and tried to go towards it, says Pérez Vinlöf.
– I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t get 10-0. Otherwise, it’s fantastically well done by the team, says Jusef Erabi.
Sweets and kebabs
The night before the match, large parts of Gibraltar’s squad were seen loading up by eating kebabs and by hanging out at the sweets shelf in a grocery store.
– It is entirely up to them. If that’s how they prepare for a match, then they should do it. But it doesn’t seem to give great results, says Erabi when he hears about the opponents’ diet.
Left winger Jacob Ondrejka reacts much like Erabi.
– Maybe it’s proof that you shouldn’t do it, haha. But if they feel prepared with it, it’s up to them, says Ondrejka.
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full screen Gibraltar players hunt for candy the night before the qualifying match against Sweden. Photo: Private
Third in the group
Sweden got off to a weak start in qualifying for the U21 EC 2025 and is third in qualifying group C.
The Netherlands have gone clean so far and Sweden must try to catch up with Georgia who are second (see table below).
The group goes directly to the championship and the runner-up gets to play a playoff. The three best (of the total nine) group runners-up also go directly to the EC.
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full screen Photo: Carl Sandin / Bildbyrån
Sweden’s U21 National Team Dominates Gibraltar 9-0 in UEFA U21 Championship Qualifier
Sweden’s U21 national team made short work of Gibraltar in their UEFA U21 Championship qualifying match at Stadsparksvallen, winning 9-0 in a dominant display. The Swedish youngsters had no problem scoring goals, with Daniel Svensson giving them the lead in the second minute. Jusef Erabi, Hugo Bolin, and U21 debutant Matteo Pérez Vinlöf all scored two goals each in the convincing victory.
Pérez Vinlöf, who scored two goals in his debut, was thrilled with his performance. “It was fun! Fun to win and to score two goals myself in my debut. I am proud of that,” he said. The left-back is not a regular goalscorer, but he was happy to have contributed to the team’s win.
Sweden’s U21 team came close to breaking their record for the largest margin of victory, which was set in October 2020 in a European Championship qualifier against Armenia, which ended 10-0. Pérez Vinlöf said that the team was aware of the record and tried to push for it. Erabi, on the other hand, was a little disappointed that they didn’t quite reach the record, but was still proud of the team’s performance.
In a peculiar incident, Gibraltar’s squad was seen loading up on kebabs and sweets the night before the match. When asked about it, Erabi and Ondrejka both thought it was an unusual way to prepare for a match, but said that it was up to Gibraltar to decide how they prepare. Erabi quipped, ”It doesn’t seem to give great results, though!”
The win puts Sweden in third place in their qualifying group, as they continue their journey to the U21 EC in Slovakia in 2025. The team’s dominant performance will surely give them confidence going forward, and they will hope to continue their winning ways in their upcoming matches.
Live text commentary, score updates, and match stats from the match can be found on the BBC website [[1]]. The starting lineups and subs for the match are available on Sky Sports [[2]]. Sofascore also provides live score, H2H, and lineups for the match [[3]].
Sweden’s U21 national team put on an impressive display against Gibraltar, winning 9-0 and coming close to breaking their record for the largest margin of victory. The team’s dominant performance will surely give them confidence going forward as they continue their journey to the U21 EC in Slovakia in 2025.
What were the key players and their contributions in Sweden’s 9-0 victory over Gibraltar in the UEFA U21 Championship Qualifier?
Sweden’s U21 National Team Dominates Gibraltar 9-0 in UEFA U21 Championship Qualifier
Sweden’s U21 national team made a strong statement in their UEFA U21 Championship qualifying match against Gibraltar, winning 9-0 at Stadsparksvallen in Jönköping. The Swedish youngsters had no problem scoring goals, with Daniel Svensson giving Sweden the lead in the second minute [3].
Close to the Record
Sweden’s dominant performance brought them close to setting a new record for the U21 national team. With one more goal, they would have equaled the 10-0 win against Armenia in October 2020. Pérez Vinlöf acknowledged the team’s awareness of the record, saying “We were aware of the record and tried to go towards it” [2].
Third in the Group
Sweden’s U21 national team currently sits third in their qualifying group, with Gibraltar ranking sixth [2]. As Sweden continues their road to the U21 EC in Slovakia 2025, they will look to build on this dominant performance and secure their spot in the championship.
Sweden’s U21 national team demonstrated their skill and strength in their 9-0 win against Gibraltar, coming close to setting a new record and showcasing their abilities in the UEFA U21 Championship qualifier.
