Isak impresses as Sweden beats Slovakia 1-0 at Euro 2020

St. Petersburg, Jun 19 (AP): Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s successor in Sweden’s national team changed the game even without scoring the goal.
Alexander Isak’s second-half performance illuminated a hitherto tough-to-watch match against Slovakia that was heading for a goalless draw until the highly rated 21-year-old striker produced a deft flick over the top of the defense.
Substitute Robin Quaison ran onto the ball and was brought down by the goalkeeper. Emil Forsberg converted the penalty to give Sweden a 1-0 victory Friday and, quite possibly, a place in the round of 16 at the European Championship.
Isak, the son of Eritrean parents who moved to Stockholm in the 1980s because of the long civil war in eastern Africa, also came close on two other occasions during a second half that was a huge step-up from the first.
Yet it was more the way he almost single-handedly turned things Sweden’s way that was so impressive for a young player who is in his first major tournament after a breakthrough season at Spanish club Real Sociedad. There, he is nicknamed “The Swedish Messiah.”