Most of it went the way of a superior Sweden, which was merciless against the Georgians’ technical mistakes and flowed through in counterattack after counterattack. When Sebastian Karlsson made it 20-9, he got ahead of the onrushing goalkeeper and put the ball into the empty net. It was one of the EC debutant’s seven goals, the best in the Swedish team. He received the award as Sweden’s best player.
– The match is over and it’s difficult to come in fully one hundred percent for the second half, but it’s an international match in an EC and still 30 minutes left so it’s just in and go, said Felix Claar to Viaplay after the first half.
Sweden rotated well and many players got playing time.
At the beginning of the second half, Hampus Wanne just found Claar in the middle with a so-called Japanese. In the air, Claar received the ball and put it in the net in one move for 26-12. Soon after that, the first Georgian fans started to leave the hall.
The Georgian goalkeeper is a crowd favourite
Georgian goalkeeper Zurab Tsintsadze became a crowd favorite here as he leapt levelly over a billboard and then saved a couple of sharp finishes. Shyly, he thanked the audience with bows.
– There is a bit of Eddie the eagle about it, says Viaplay’s expert Claes Hellgren about the Georgian goalkeeper, referring to the odd bird who was a back jumper for Great Britain in the 1980s.
There were genuine smiles among the Swedish players and from Fridolina Rolfö, who sat in the yellow Swedish national team jersey in the stands.
After two easy matches, Bosnia-Herzegovina in the opener, it will be significantly tougher against Staffan Olsson’s Netherlands on Monday.