Graham Potter committed to Sweden for the long term this month but the immediate future does not look so bad. He will lead them to the World Cup if they overcome Poland on Tuesday and it would be a fairytale start for a manager whose return to his adopted homeland is beginning to make bundles of sense.
Part of Potter’s motivation to stay beyond this summer was the riches at his disposal. Viktor Gyökeres, awkward at Arsenal but talismanic for his country, is among those jewels and overpowered Ukraine with a resounding hat-trick. Goals six minutes into each half, topped by a late penalty, exhibited the full suite of desirable components in a No9; Sweden were disciplined at the other end and it was a game too far for Ukraine, who had dearly hoped to offer relief for those suffering back home but could only offer a late consolation from Matviy Ponomarenko.
Estadio Ciutat de Valencia, usually residence of the La Liga club Levante, is almost 1,700 miles from Kyiv but was the latest stop in Ukraine’s unwanted four-year roadshow. They were made to feel at home by a large contingent of fans, many of them among the 338,000 of their compatriots currently resident in Spain. In a stadium around three-quarters full, the overwhelming majority had come out to support the nominal hosts.
They welcomed their team with flares, smoke still shrouding their half of the field at kick-off, but optimism was soon doused. It was the perfect start for Potter, who had signalled he sought a no-frills job from a side that, still missing the likes of Alexander Isak and Dejan Kulusevski, was short on established creative options.
Gyökeres made light of that concern by doing as all good spearheads should. Ukraine were picked apart too easily down the left and, given space inside their penalty area, Benjamin Nygren whipped a firm, waist-high cross that the Arsenal striker could hardly miss. The goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin was left grasping at air and Gyökeres, who had done well to stay onside, jabbed in from a matter of feet.
Serhiy Rebrov, the Ukraine manager, had told his players to match Sweden for fight and character. They have shown those attributes in abundance during such a tragic period in their history; application was the bigger question mark early on here, passes running loose and a skittishness evident in their play. Their first moment of serious threat arrived in the 19th minute, Vitaliy Mykolenko muscling to the byline and seeing his cross, deflected towards the near post, flicked agonisingly across goal by the centre-forward Vladyslav Vanat.
There was the sense a second goal would be enough for Sweden and Gabriel Gudmundsson went in search, flashing wide after surging down the left. Ukraine were missing key players of their own, suspension and injuries forcing Rebrov’s hand. He would have loved to select Oleksandr Zinchenko, such a talisman in his nation’s colours, and the Roma striker Artem Dovbyk but instead found his squad critically short of substance.
On Wednesday Potter had expressed confidence in Sweden’s defensive balance. By half-time his back line had rarely been stretched although Isak Hien, a step ahead of his opponents throughout his 37 minutes on the pitch, was replaced by Carl Starfelt after pulling up with an injury. It did not alter the shape of a five-man back line that Ukraine, for their ample possession, could hardly lay a glove on.
There were more goals in it for Sweden, content to sit deep, if they pushed. They came close twice within minutes of the restart, Trubin repelling a Starfelt snap shot before Gudmundsson missed the far post by inches. Just after Oleksandr Zubkov, forcing Kristoffer Nordfeldt into his first meaningful save, had offered a hint of Ukrainian threat Gyökeres picked his moment once again.
This time the finish, weighted around Trubin, was delightful. He had collected a quick kick from Nordfeldt and, with a devastating mix of power and subtlety, ploughed into the box before applying the coup de grace. Ukraine’s defending, with barely a challenge offered, was powderpuff; the difference between the sides in physicality and quality was laid decisively bare.
Rebrov had no choice but to roll the dice and made three changes although, for all their increase in tempo and heightened appetite to fling crosses into the area, Ukraine were making few inroads as the clock ticked down. Sweden, solid and disciplined in line with some of their more esteemed predecessors, were comfortable beyond a minor let-off when Viktor Tsygankov sidefooted at Nordfeldt.
That was the final element of minor doubt. Gyökeres removed the rest after outstripping the defence again, facing Trubin before jinking left and falling to the floor upon contact from the keeper. The penalty was clear and Gyökeres dispatched it viciously. The pocket of 3,000 Swedes in the near corner could cavort; Potter could delight in a first big test expertly passed.
