Sweden loses to Switzerland in World Cup qualifier after penalty
Sweden's men's national football team lost 0–2 to Switzerland in the World Cup qualifier at Strawberry Arena. The match was marked by a controversial penalty and missed chances, while head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson faced boos and calls for his resignation from fans. The players unanimously back the coach despite the tough defeat.
At a sold-out Strawberry Arena in Solna, with a new attendance record of 50,151 spectators, Sweden faced Switzerland in a crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier on October 10. Sweden, with one point from two prior matches, needed a win to stay in contention in the group. Instead, Switzerland dominated and won 2–0.
The turning point came in the 65th minute when Alexander Bernhardsson pushed Djibril Sow in the back, which the referee awarded as a penalty. Granit Xhaka converted it confidently, and Johan Manzambi made it 2–0 in injury time. Bernhardsson admitted: "If it's a penalty, it's clumsily done and I take responsibility for that." SVT Sports expert Mikael Lustig called the penalty "a cheap one" and described an overall "class difference" between the teams, with Switzerland's pressing game spot on.
Sweden had opportunities: Alexander Isak hit the post, and Lucas Bergvall missed an open goal late in the first half after a pass from Isak. Bergvall said: "It's clear I should score there" and "I misjudge the ball." Expert Erik Niva called the miss "unbelievable."
After the match, boos targeted Tomasson both before and after kickoff, and a banner reading "Resign JDT" was displayed. Tomasson responded at the press conference: "I understand the fans, they want results and wins, football is emotions." He emphasized: "We believe in this. We can be second if we beat Kosovo." The players fully support him. Yasin Ayari got angry at the question of changing coaches: "Will we qualify for the World Cup if we change coaches?" and "We get sloppy when we have the ball." Viktor Johansson added: "We have full faith, that's where we start."
Sweden sits last in the group with one point, eight points behind leaders Switzerland. The next match is against Kosovo in Gothenburg on Monday.