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Viktor Gyokeres Sets Nations League Record After Sweden Goal
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- Viktor Gyokeres Sets Nations League Record After Sweden Goal
(via REUTERS)
Viktor Gyokeres added another record to his international career as his goalscoring run for Sweden continued against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Arsenal striker put Sweden ahead in the second half of Friday's 1-1 draw in Zenica, taking him beyond Aleksandar Mitrovic and Benjamin Sesko as the first player to score in six consecutive Nations League games.
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Gyokeres had already seen one goal ruled out before he eventually put Sweden ahead. Alexander Bernhardsson won possession high up the pitch and released him in the 61st minute, with Gyokeres driving forward before firing into the roof of the net.
Graham Potter's assessment afterwards was fairly straightforward.
"We know he is world class," Potter told Radiosporten after the draw.
There was frustration around the result itself. Sweden were still leading with 10 minutes remaining when Kerim Alajbegovic's attempted cross travelled through the penalty area and found the far corner, denying Potter's side a third victory from three Nations League games this season.
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Gyokeres' run goes back considerably further.
The succession of goals began against Estonia in October 2024 and continued when he scored against Slovakia the following month. Three days later came the extraordinary 6-0 win over Azerbaijan, when Gyokeres scored four himself.
Sweden were in League C then. By the time they returned to the Nations League this September they had moved into League B, had a different manager and almost two years had passed since the Azerbaijan game.
Despite the wait, Gyokeres marked the return of the Nations League scoring in the 2-1 win over Romania and again as Sweden beat Poland 3-1, taking him level with Mitrovic and Sesko before the trip to Bosnia. UEFA confirmed after Friday's game that his latest strike had taken the record outright.
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It also continued an encouraging international break for a player who arrived with questions being asked about his start to the club season.
Potter had dismissed any concern over the Arsenal striker before the Nations League campaign began, insisting Sweden still regarded him as one of their leading players. Three games and three goals later, nothing about his standing with the national team appears to have changed.
Bosnia had to deal with him twice on Friday. The first finish did not survive the handball check, but the second gave Sweden the lead and put Gyokeres somewhere no other Nations League player has been.
Gyokeres now has 13 Nations League goals in total. Four came in the 6-0 win over Azerbaijan, but he has continued scoring since Sweden moved up to League B and a change in manager, with the long break between campaigns doing little to slow him down.
Sweden face Romania again on Monday, offering Gyokeres a chance to extend his record before the international break ends and returning to Arsenal .
