Viktor Gyökeres Scores as Sweden Prepares for World Cup
Viktor Gyökeres has carried his club form straight into the international arena, signing off Sweden’s World Cup preparations with a reminder of exactly what he offers: power, craft and a ruthless eye from dead balls.
In Stockholm, with Sweden trailing Greece in their final warm-up game, the striker stepped up over a second-half free-kick and bent it home, a clean, curling strike that underlined his growing authority for the national side. The goal continued a prolific domestic campaign and arrived at a moment when Sweden needed a jolt.
Greece had drawn first blood. Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas pushed forward and opened the scoring for the visitors, quietening the Friends Arena and putting Sweden on the back foot. Gyökeres’ equaliser shifted the mood, the home crowd sensing their main forward was in the groove again.
The pressure told. Gustaf Nilsson then forced Sweden in front, turning the match on its head and giving the hosts what looked like a winning platform as the clock ticked deep into stoppage time.
Greece refused to fold. In the 95th minute, Giorgos Masouras struck a dramatic leveller, snatching a 2-2 draw and denying Sweden the perfect send-off, but not the performance they wanted from their leading striker heading into the 2026 World Cup.
Merino wears the armband as Spain sign off at home
Across the continent in A Coruña, Spain also wrapped up their home schedule before heading across the Atlantic, held to a 1-1 draw by fellow World Cup qualifiers Iraq.
Spain started with control and incision. Ferran Torres broke the deadlock, finishing after a neat set-up from Dani Olmo, a familiar combination slicing through the Iraqi defence to give the home side a deserved lead.
Then came the sting. Merchas Doski caught goalkeeper Joan Garcia out, seizing on his chance to level and silencing the Riazor just as Spain looked ready to pull away. The equaliser changed the tone of the evening, turning a farewell celebration into a more measured test of Spain’s resolve.
The second half brought a notable moment for Mikel Merino. Introduced in the 68th minute in place of Alex Baena, the midfielder later took the captain’s armband, a clear sign of the trust and responsibility placed on him within this evolving Spain squad. The game itself drifted towards a stalemate, but Merino’s late spell as skipper added a layer of significance to an otherwise subdued close.
La Roja now leave home soil behind and fly to Mexico, where Peru await in Puebla in their final tune-up before the World Cup begins in earnest.
O’Neill steps up on the senior stage
Away from the World Cup spotlight, one of Hale End’s brightest prospects took an important stride in his own journey.
Ceadach O’Neill, just 18, made his senior debut for Northern Ireland, coming off the bench in a tight 1-0 victory over Guinea. It was a landmark evening for a winger who has already brushed against first-team football at club level and shone in Premier League 2 and the UEFA Youth League.
The decisive moment on the night belonged to Tom Atcheson, whose goal separated the sides. But for O’Neill, the key detail was the 64th minute at the Estadio Municipal de la Linea de la Concepción in Cadiz, Spain, when he replaced Isaac Price and crossed the line from prospect to full international.
The challenge now grows quickly. Northern Ireland’s next stop is Lille and the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, where they will face France. O’Neill could find himself up against another of his club’s established stars on a stage that keeps getting bigger, and faster, for a teenager who has just taken his first senior bow.
