Germany loss made Sweden 鈥榮tronger鈥
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A LAST-MINUTE loss to Germany was difficult enough for Sweden to accept. A questionable celebration by German players near the Swedish bench added to the disappointment. And a wave of racist abuse aimed at midfielder Jimmy Durmaz followed on social media.
The Swedish team has gone through some turbulent times at the World Cup, but coach Janne Andersson and captain Andreas Granqvist said the players have moved from bitter feelings they had and are ready for their final Group F game against Mexico in Yekaterinburg today.
鈥淲e showed on Saturday we were able to match the reigning champions all the way to the end with the exception of the final 10 seconds,鈥 Andersson said through a translator in his team鈥檚 pre-match news conference yesterday. 鈥淭hat match made us stronger, more confident.
鈥淲e鈥檙e coming into tomorrow鈥檚 game expecting that we can do a performance at the top level we鈥檝e already showed on several occasions. We will do everything to win tomorrow. From that perspective, mentally, we鈥檙e very, very strong. We believe in what we do.鈥
In its first World Cup since 2006, Sweden beat South Korea 1-0 before the 1-2 loss to Germany.
鈥淲e were incredibly disappointed after the match,鈥 Granqvist said.
鈥淏ut we鈥檙e very well prepared for the match tomorrow against Mexico. We鈥檙e going to do everything in our power to get a result that we need.鈥
Sweden still has a chance to advance to the knockout rounds.
Mexico leads the group with six points but isn鈥檛 safe yet. If Germany defeats South Korea in Kazan and Sweden simultaneously tops Mexico, three teams would finish with six points, sending it to tiebreakers that start with the best goal differential.
Andersson said he was 鈥渟addened鈥 by comments on social media, including by some senior members of the football association, that were abusive toward Durmaz. The player, who was born in Sweden to ethnic Assyrian parents who emigrated from Turkey, came on as a substitute on Saturday before giving away the free kick that led to Germany鈥檚 winner by Toni Kroos deep into injury time.
The team and Durmaz issued a joint statement condemning the abuse.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important that we鈥檙e able to move on after that,鈥 Andersson said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 need to discuss it any further. I believe it鈥檚 important to help each other, to support each other in football.鈥
Said Granqvist: 鈥淲e鈥檝e let it go and are focusing on the match tomorrow, but it did have an impact on us to some extent.鈥
He said the team reacted well to the incident.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a very tight squad. We stick together, we fight together. We do everything for each other on and off the pitch.鈥
Granqvist said the German team apologized for the players鈥 celebration. Andersson called it 鈥渦nsportsmanlike behavior鈥 that has no place on the pitch.
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