Gyokeres leads Sweden to Nations League win and the Dutch reach the knockout rounds
Sweden's Viktor Gyökeres, centre, in action against Slovakia's Dávid Hancko, left, and Milan Škriniar during the UEFA Nations League group C1 soccer match between Sweden and Slovakia at Strawberry Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday Nov. 16, 2024. Credit: AP/Jakob Åkersten Brodén
Viktor Gyokeres led Sweden to a 2-1 win over Slovakia while the Netherlands qualified for the Nations League quarterfinals with a 4-0 win over Hungary on Saturday.
Germany also set a single-game scoring record for the relatively new competition by routing Bosnia and Herzegovina 7-0.
Gyokeres took his nation’s opening goal, and after Slovakia leveled the score, the Sporting Lisbon striker set up Aleksander Isak to put Sweden back in front for good.
Gyokeres is the joint leading scorer of the Nations League with five along with Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko.
Gyokeres recently upstaged Erling Haaland by scoring a hat trick as Sporting beat Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League.
Sweden is trying to earn promotion from League C to League B.
The Netherlands joined Germany as the two teams from League A, Group 3 to advance to the quarterfinals in March.
Sweden's Viktor Gyökeres, 17, celebrates with his teammates after scoring their side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League group C1 soccer match between Sweden and Slovakia at Strawberry Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday Nov. 16, 2024. Credit: AP/Pontus Lundahl
The Dutch easily won their game in Amsterdam, which was briefly suspended in the first half for the medical evacuation of Hungary assistant coach Adam Szalai. The Hungarian Football Federation said the former player was in “stable” condition after being taken by ambulance to a local hospital.
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