Euro 2024 qualifier: Sweden scores big win over Azerbaijan sans injured Ibrahimovic

Deployed on the left wing, Forsberg went on a driving run through the heart of the Azerbaijan defence before clipping a shot past the unsighted goalkeeper.

Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal against Azerbaijan in the Euro 2024 qualifier on March 27, 2023.

Substitute Jesper Karlsson scored a brilliant late free kick and Anthony Elanga added a superb solo goal as Sweden hammered Azerbaijan 5-0 in its Group F Euro 2024 qualifier on Monday.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, however, missed the match because of an injury. Sweden coach Janne Andersson however, did not disclose the precise nature of his problem.

After a terrible team performance against Belgium, in which Romelu Lukaku scored a hat-trick in its first group game, Sweden came out with all guns blazing and Alexander Isak had a goal ruled out for offside before Emil Forsberg scored in the 38th minute.

Deployed on the left wing, Forsberg went on a driving run through the heart of the Azerbaijan defence before clipping a shot past the unsighted goalkeeper.

Sweden doubled its advantage in the 65th minute as Bahlul Mustafazada steered an Isak cross into his own net, and 14 minutes later Viktor Gyokeres made it 3-0 with a tap-in from Karlstrom’s pass.

The two best goals of the game came from substitutes as Karlsson buried a perfectly-placed free kick in the 88th minute, and Elanga added the final goal a minute later with a superb run, rounding the keeper before slotting home.

The win lifts Sweden to the third spot in the group on three points, with Austria, who beat Estonia 2-1, top and the Belgians second.