Anthony Elanga was Sweden’s World Cup hero on Thursday but you wouldn’t have thought so by his initial reaction.
Elanga’s stunner earned the Swedes a 1-1 draw against Japan in their final Group F encounter in Arlington.
The result was enough to see Graham Potter’s side finish as one of the top eight third-place sides to reach the last-32 stage of the tournament.
However, inexplicably Elanga – who was named man of the match – wasn’t aware of that outcome as he sat on the turf at full-time dejected and shaking his head thinking they were out.
Potter wasn’t aware why the winger was annoyed until it was put to him in his post-match press conference that the 24-year-old misunderstood their permutations needed.
‘That explains a few things then, it can’t be any clearer, it couldn’t have been any clearer for him,’ joked Potter.
Anthony Elanga was frustrated at full-time thinking Sweden had failed to qualify for the last 32 – however, the winger was wrong as his goal in a 1-1 draw vs Japan was enough for his side
‘He’s obviously thinking about something else, bless him.
‘I love him at the moment but, dear me.’
Elanga’s sublime strike was his second goal at this World Cup and Potter will hope he can take his goalscoring form into the knockout stages.
Now in the last 32, Sweden will play one of France, Norway, Germany or Switzerland. As it currently stands they are likely to play France on Tuesday at 10pm (BST).
‘We were just delighted to be there and then, whoever we meet, we know we meet a top team, so we have to be ready,’ Potter said of their upcoming opponent.
