By Chris Wright
Already 0-2 down coming into the second leg of last night’s Euro 2015 Under-21 play-off tie, Sweden needed something special to overturn France’s lead and something special they duly produced.
Flying out of the traps, the Swedes had drawn level on aggregate by half-time before finding themselves in the lead for the first time in the tie when Oscar Lewicki put them 3-2 up in the 71st minute.
Then, as the game ticked over in the 87th minute, France left-back Layvin Kurzawa deflated the bouyant atmosphere in Halmstad by scoring a late goal which seemed almost certain to send the visiting team through to the European Championship Finals in the Czech Republic next June.
In a moment of clanging hubris, Kurzawa’s ego got the better of him as he chose to celebrate his “winning” goal by directing a cocky salute into the face of Sweden striker John Guidetti, as if to wave him and his teammates on their way…
An even better photo. The French teasing the Swedes after their 89th minute goal that put them through at the time pic.twitter.com/fFZxVEfsxR
— Julien Laurens (@LaurensJulien) October 14, 2014
However, the grin was soon wiped from the Monaco full-back’s face when Lewicki popped up to score again for the Swedes with just two minutes left, therefore putting the cap on a dramatic finale in Halmstad and sending the Swedish lads through to the tournament proper at Les Bleus’ expense.
Unsurprisingly, Lweicki, Guidetti and co. had a little message for Kurzawa after the final whistle, with the entire squad saluting the crowd on a victory lap around the pitch before posing for a very deliberate celebratory photo in the dressing room after the game…
And the response from the Swedes to the French after their 90th goal that qualified them. pic.twitter.com/BFV7Dj9ZAl
— Julien Laurens (@LaurensJulien) October 14, 2014
How do you say “up yours” in Swedish?