SOLNA (The Thursday Times) — Sweden and Austria won promotion to League A of the UEFA Nations League on Saturday, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring two first-half penalties in a 3-2 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina and Austria beating the Republic of Ireland 1-0.
Gyokeres, the Arsenal striker, has now scored in a record-extending eighth successive game for Sweden. His brace took him to six goals in five Nations League matches, making him the top scorer in League B, and to 27 international goals, which moves him into Sweden’s all-time top 10.
A nervy finish in Solna
Daniel Svensson put Sweden ahead early with a glancing header from Anthony Elanga’s cross, his first senior international goal. Gyokeres then made it 2-0 from the spot after Stjepan Radeljic pulled him back in the area, and added a second penalty before the break after Sead Kolasinac fouled Svensson.
Bosnia and Herzegovina came back into the game after the restart. Armin Gigovic headed in from Ermin Mahmic’s cross, and Kolasinac, scoring his first international goal in his 74th appearance, headed in a corner to make it 3-2. Amar Memic then missed a clear chance at the far post, and the Sweden goalkeeper Viktor Johansson made a one-handed save to deny him again.
The win made Sweden, coached by Graham Potter, winners of Group B4 and kept their unbeaten run in the competition going to 12 games. Bosnia and Herzegovina finished second and go into the League A/B play-offs.
Austria seal top spot
In Linz, Sasa Kalajdzic scored the only goal 11 minutes from time to give Ralf Rangnick’s Austria victory over the Republic of Ireland. It put the unbeaten Austrians five points clear of second-placed Kosovo in Group B3 and sealed promotion.
Ireland, who had chances through Troy Parrott, are third in the group, one point behind Kosovo, whom they host at the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday.
