Maximilian Ibrahimovic was substituted in the second half but did not get into any dangerous situations offensively.
– It was a difficult match, we didn’t have much ball but we fought, fought and worked as a team, says Ibrahimovic.
Childhood friend John Mellberg liked what he saw from Ibrahimovic.
– I think it was very fun to see, felt positive. It looked good. We know each other from before, it’s nice to have a friend here, says Mellberg.
Foreground figures for Sweden were the goalscorer Santino Samuyiwa – who scored the only goal of the match early – and the goalkeeper William Nieroth Lundgren, who saved a penalty.
– We fight a lot, it was a difficult match picture. We won 1-0 in the end, it was fun, continues Ibrahimovic.
After Samuyiwa’s lead goal in the first half, Sweden guarded their lead.
But it was not without some tension. In the second half, Japan received a penalty when the referee thought Halmstad player Emir El-Kathemi went too brusquely into a situation.
However, goalkeeper Nieroth Lundgren saved both the penalty and later – at the end of the match – a dangerous situation from close range.
A difficult situation for Sweden was when defender John Mellberg was forced to leave the field in the second half. Afterwards, however, he was able to leave a reassuring message.
Maximilian Ibrahimovic plays everyday in Milan’s academy team.