Even with two goals, Robert Lewandowski still couldn’t stop Poland from an early exit the European Championship.
The FIFA player of the year made amends for an astounding early triple miss by scoring twice in the second half on Wednesday, but Viktor Claesson put in the winning goal in stoppage to give Sweden a 3-2 victory.
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Even with two goals, Robert Lewandowski still couldn’t stop Poland from an early exit the European Championship.
For Poland and Lewandowski, it’s another early exit from a major soccer tournament.
Forsberg had already scored by then, after 81 seconds for the second quickest goal in the tournament’s history. He added a second in the 59th on a counterattack.
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Sweden's Emil Forsberg, top left, scores his side's first goal during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group E match between Sweden and Poland at the Gazprom Arena stadium, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (Maxim Shemetov Pool via AP)
Emil Forsberg scored twice for the Swedes, which finish in first place in Group E and will next face a third-place finisher in Glasgow on Tuesday.
Poland's Robert Lewandowski holds on to the net after missing an opportunity to score during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group E match between Sweden and Poland at the Gazprom Arena stadium, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (Maxim Shemetov Pool via AP)
For Poland and Lewandowski, it’s another early exit from a major soccer tournament.
The Bayern Munich striker leaves Euro 2020 with three goals, his best haul at a World Cup or European Championship. But even his double against Sweden — in the 61st and 84th minutes — might be overshadowed by an extraordinary sequence of events in the first half when he headed the ball against the crossbar twice in as many seconds.
After the second one, the ball landed at the striker's feet in front of goal but it got caught in between his legs and he still couldn’t score.
Poland's Robert Lewandowski fails to score during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group E match between Sweden and Poland at the Gazprom Arena stadium, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (Maxim Shemetov Pool via AP)
Forsberg had already scored by then, after 81 seconds for the second quickest goal in the tournament’s history. He added a second in the 59th on a counterattack.
Poland needed a win to advance, but they couldn't even hold on for the draw after Claesson broke free for the final goal in the last seconds.
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Poland's Robert Lewandowski, 2nd left, vies for the ball during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group B match between Sweden and Poland at Saint Petersburg stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (AP PhotoDmitri Lovetsky, Pool)
Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
Sweden's Emil Forsberg celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group E match between Sweden and Poland at the Gazprom Arena stadium, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (Maxim Shemetov Pool via AP)
Sweden's Emil Forsberg, top left, scores his side's first goal during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group E match between Sweden and Poland at the Gazprom Arena stadium, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (Maxim Shemetov Pool via AP)