I Feel the Need. The Need for Swede

[Mandy42]

Seems I'm not completely immune to the draw of international football with the current tournament underway. So I started what I believe to be my first ever international managers save. 

Though, due to my objections to the tournament (which I put in the community thread.) I didn't want to take part in the virtual version of the tournament. Thus I created a manager (Ryan Ayre, seen as he's always going on holiday). And vacationed until the World cup playoffs had been decided. 

I wanted to pick a team that hadn't made it to the tournament (either in real life or in the game). I had my eyes set on Italy or Norway. But the former had managed to qualify for the virtual version of the tournament. I was on the verge of picking the Lions. When Sweden actually came in with a job off for Ryan.

I took a look, they aren't in Qatar, and they haven't made it into the tournament on my save. So they are fair game.

So I loaded up my actual manager, took over the Sweden position (replacing Guus Hiddink)

Lets see what happens. 

[Mandy42]

Taking my post on the 14th of July, its 50 days until my first game. Which is at home against Israel in the Nations league category B, group 2. Which is currently fabulously poised. Unlike almost every other group, which has four teams. Ours has three. The aforementioned Israel, ourselves, and Finland. In the first group of games, we played each of the other teams. And they played each other. Meaning that, not only do we have a game in hand against the rest of the group. We also are the last game of both the other teams.

At the moment we sit second on four points. A win in our first game against Finland, at home in the Friends Arena. The Zlatan somehow managed to get himself sent off in the 15th minute. And then 10 minutes later Emil Forsberg scored the only goal of the game. After that we secured a point at the Bloomfield stadium in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Alexander Isak gave us the lead on 26 minutes. But we couldn't keep it. Eran Zahavi, their 35 year old striker, who at the time plied his trade for PSV, restored parity on 75 minutes.

Zahavi had been on the scoresheet during Israel's group opener against Finland. His 39 minute conversion cancelling out Teemu Pukki's third minute effort. That's currently the only goal the Fins have scored so far. And it wasn't enough for them on that occasion. Ilay Elmkies made sure Israel secured the points with his goal just two minutes after Zahavi had struck.

In the return game, Israel ran out 2 - 0 winners due to a first half brace from their striker Munas Dabbur.

I've had a long time to look at that league table, and imagine winning both of my opening games to take top spot and thus promotion to the Nations League category A. But that's getting ahead of ourselves. First comes the task of picking the squad that's going to represent both their country, and me, in those fixtures.

22nd July 2022: Germany. 2.Bundesliga: SpVgg Greuther Furth vs Erzebirge Aue.

Players to watch: Andreas Linde and Branimir Hrgota

Greuther Furth run out convincing 4 - 1 winners and as much as I'd like to have seen Linde keep a clean sheet, there really wasn't much he could have done for the Erzebirge goal. His defenders allowed the ball to be rolled across the six yard box for what surmounted to a tap in. 

More impressive was Hrgota's goal, opening the scoring for Greuther Furth just before the half hour mark. He'd been played into the space between the centre backs just a few minutes before, but blazed over. This time he had more space, able to take a touch and place his shot into the bottom left hand corner. 

25th of July 2022: Axel Rietentiet accepts the offered scout position. Its strange that we have no scouting team, and that I'm only allowed to attend one game per week in person. Which means much of the players stats in the national pool are well a mystery to me.

31st of July 2022: Viktor Gyokeres scores his first goal for Coventry in their game against Crystal Palace. He had previous gone 23 games without scoring. At 24 Gyokeres is someone on my radar, I want to bring in the next generation under my tenure and try build a fresh start.

7th August 2022: Spain. La Liga: Real San Sebastian vs Levante.

Players to watch : Alexander Isak and Omar Faraj.

A rather dull game, I wonder how many of those I'm going to have to sit through in my lifetime? Its slightly refreshing not having any particular "skin" in the game. And not fretting the result or how poor the teams are playing. But at the same time, not having an option to just get up and walk out is rather tedious. Especially (though it hasn't happened yet) if the players I've come to watch are substituted.

Isak tried his best, but as a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 line up, he always had his work cut out for him against Levante's three centre backs in a five man defence. Omar Faraj is currently in the Levante B squad, and as such didn't play. RSS ended up 1 - 0 winners after a rather freak own goal gave them the points in the last few minutes.

8th of August 2022: Building the backroom team continues, Felipe joins as our second scout. Jan Hasenkamp as fitness coach and Sven Brechetsbauer as physio. I've no idea how much these gentlemen are getting paid. What our budget is, or any of that. I just know we don't have these positions filled, so I'm filling them.

10th of August 2022: Germany. Bundesliga: SV Werder vs Herta Berlin.

Players to watch: Emil Forsberg. 

Berlin lose 2 - 0 and have a man sent off for a second bookable offence in the second half. None of which is Forsberg's fault. In the first period he is a bit of a ghost. In the second period before the sending off he sees more of the ball and has an attempt on goal saved. After the sending off he is played out of position and really the whole team doesn't overly manage much of anything.

16th August 2022: Turkey. UEFA Champions League Champions Path Playoff First Leg: Fenerbahce vs FC Kobenhavn.

Players to watch: Karl-Johan Johnsson, Jacob Rinne and Roony Bardghji. 

Now, seen as both Johnsson and Rinne play in goal for Kobenhavn I don't expect to see both of them. But honestly the real draw in this tie is not only the fact its Champions League football and thus a high tier of quality and pressure. But Roony Bardghji is a 16 year old Swedish sensation. He's got eight U21 caps to his name, and scored six goals in those games. He's also the liveliest player on the pitch for the Danish side. Which unfortunately sees him booked in the first half. But he creates four clear cut chances for his side, and looks a complete menace every time he has the ball. Only a player of the match performance from the Fenerbahce goalkeeper Altay Bayindir stops the visitors from benefitting rom Bardghji's graft.

Unfortunately the same can't be said for Karl-Johan Johnsson. He makes enough routine saves and does his job efficiently for the majority of the game. But the damage has already been done. He rather poorly let Enner Valencia beat him from a tight angle at his near post. From a 1 v 1 in just the third minute. Which marks him as the first player I've seen who I've not been impressed with.

18th August 2022: The Swedish Football Daily post an article suggesting that Bologna's Mattias Svanberg's club form means he should get a call up to the Sweden squad. He's played seven games in Serie A so far this season. Scoring once and averaging a 7.19 rating. He's certainly not the worst midfield prospect on my list.

20th August 2022: Sweden U18s are drawn against Poland, Romania and Serbia in the European U19 Championship Preliminary Qualifying round. They make up group A, and are the highest ranked team in their group.

22nd August 2022: The Zlatan accepts my offer to be a coach for the national side. Seen as he's hung up his boots as a player.

[Mandy42]

Which brings us to:

Friday 26th of August 2022: Senior Squad selection deadline for Nations League Group B games against Israel and Finland

When I first took this job, I attended the obligatory press conference. And it was suggested that I would pick my team based on reputation not form. To which I rather moodily replied that the players I selected would be the ones who deserved to play. By that I meant, I would be picking players who were (hopefully) in both condition physically due to playing regular football. But also playing well during that regular football. Now that I look at the first 23 man squad of my career. I think I've stayed true to those aims.

Of the 23 selected:

Only seven of them haven't made an appearance for their clubs so far.

13 of the players have a (green) average rating of 7.00 or higher over their last five games.

Only two of the players in the squad aren't fully match fit.

Lets take a look at the squad:

 

Goalkeepers:

Pontus Dahlberg, Andreas Linde, Robin Olsen. They play their club football for Watford, Greuther Furth and Roma respectively. I say play, Olsen hasn't played a game for Roma yet this season. He was however the keeper who played in both our Nations League games so far this campaign. Linde is flying high as Furth sit second of 2.Bundesliga thanks in part to his two clean sheets in five games. Dahlberg on the other hand has one clean sheet in three Premier league appearances. And a highly rated performance in the Carabao cup 2nd round against a highly motivated Oxford side.

Defenders:

Left: Ludwig Augustinsson, Thomas Isherwood. Augustinsson has an assist in five appearances for Sevilla so far this season. He's expected by the press not to get a spot in the squad, which shows how much they know. Isherwood at 24 and with solid but not spectacular stats looks like a solid squad backup for years to come. He also has the ability of playing a convincing centre back. He plays for Darmstadt 98 in the 2.Bundesliga and has an goal and assist to his name in six appearances.

Centre: Riccardo Gagliolo, Filip Helander, Victor Lindelof, Joakim Nilsson.  Apart from Gagliolo who plays for Salernitana in the Italian second tier. There an no surprises here. Which might be the problem in and of itself. The youngest of these four is Lindelof and Nilsson at 28. None of them are spring chickens, nor does there seem to be anyone in the next generation that shows much promise.

Right: Emil Holm, Sebastian Ohlsson. This is the opposite, while Ohlsson is the in form player. Holm, who plays for Spezia Calico in the Italian second tier shows promise at only 22.

 

Midfielders:

Defensive: Jens Cajuste, Eric Smith, Mattias Svanberg. Stepping into midfield and the future is bright. Smith is the oldest at 25. With both himself and Cajuste able to play either in front of the defence, or alongside a more traditional midfield partner. Svanberg is star of the three, a midfielder able to win the ball back and then proceed to do something dangerous with it as well.

Left: Emil Forsberg, Svante Ingelsson. The 30 year old Forsberg provides some much needed experience in the front third. He's also scored the winning goal against Finland in the opening Nations league group game. Plus has scored once for a rather poor Herta Berlin side so far this campaign. Ingelsson can play anywhere across the attacking midfield, that and steady ability is likely to see him on the bench. Compared to the standout talents available who play just one or two positions.

Centre: Dejan Kulusevski, Benjamin Nygren, Amir Sher. Kulusevski plays on the right for Spurs. But that isn't where he will play for me. He seems just as happy in the middle of the pitch and I hope he will add to his three assists so far in this international campaign. Nygren is a promising 21 year old midfielder who I'm hoping can play against Finland if we get the job done against Israel. Same with Sher, a 19 year old talent who I'd like round the international setup to soak up experience to hopefully go alongside his growing talent.

Right: Roony Bardghji. 16 years old, playing for FC Kobenhavn and playing a full 180 minutes in the Champions league. I was very impressed by the 90 minutes I watched and the plan is to start him against Israel. 

 

Strikers:

Sebastian Andersson, Branimir Hrgota, Alexander Isak. Andersson is a tactical choice to play as a supporting target man in the Israel game. To get the ball into their box and down for our young attacking players to make something of it. Hrgota has scored twice more in five games since I saw him play. Isak has scored once in four.

 

 

[Mandy42]

After all the sitting around, travelling, staff searching and twiddling of thumbs. Its now time for my debut as an international manager. 

Friday 2nd of September: Sweden. UEFA Nations League B Group 2: Sweden vs Israel.

Sweden starting XI: Pontus Dahlberg, Ludwig Augustinsson, Victor Lindelof (c), Joakim Nilsson, Sebastian Ohlsson, Mattias Svanberg,  Jens Cajuste, Emil Forsberg, Roony Bardghji, Alexander Isak, Sebastian Andersson.

We line up in a 4 - 2 - 4 formation. Andersson will serve as a target man, Forsberg will stay wide on the left, while Bardghji will come in from the right to try profit from any potential knockdowns.

Israel starting XI: Ofir Marciano, OR Harush, Nir Bitton, Dor Peretz, Dan Glazer, Yonatan Cohen, Ilay Elmkies, Manor Solomon, Eran Zahavi, Liel Abada, Munas Dabbur.

They look to be lining up in a 4 - 2 - 3 - 1. With dangerman Zahavi as a shadow striker behind the lone leader of the line Dabbur.

Before the game I'd held a team meeting, where we talked about the elephant in the room. The number of new faces in the squad. I basically told them that it was their chance to shine, and usher in a new era for Swedish football. The reaction was as you'd expect. The young players loved it. The older players not so much. Bit disappointed in my captain Lindelof who vocalized his worries with a rather sarcastic "It's clear there isn't enough experience in this squad." There were some notable exceptions to the partisan split. Forsberg and Robin Olsen, both card carrying members of the older player camp. Supported the announcement wholeheartedly.

I hoped Lindelof's negativity wouldn't carry out onto the pitch. But I'd laid my stall out. Just have to see now. 

It was a warm September evening and the roof on the Friends Arena was retracted back to let the sunshine in. We kicked off, and just like that we were underway in my first game in charge. After a brief exchange between our defence and midfield, the ball came to Bardghji in the right channel just inside their half. No hesitation he turned and pinged a ball in behind their centre backs. Curling to give Isak a chance to run onto it. Unfortunately the length and pace were slightly off. And the Israeli keeper gathered easily. But a show of intent with less than 30 seconds played.

Not wasting any time Marciano lumped the ball upfield. Solomon on their left wing used his body well to get control of the long ball. And he's off, stopping at our touchline. After a few exchanges the ball ends up on the right side of our area, where Abada's low shot is blocked out for a corner by Augustinsson. Corner Israel.

Solomon with the out swinging corner from the left. We clear, but only to outside the box where Israel try some nice neat passes to work it back into our box. Only to have the ball intercepted by Lindelof just as they look to be playing someone in behind. It goes back to our keeper, who spreads it out to our right for Ohlsson. He lays the ball ahead of him for Bardghji on the half way line. A turn inside finds a very deep Andersson. The tall target man turns and plays a ball over the heads of the Israeli back line. Isak is a little flat footed and doesn't appear to be ready to chase it. However he isn't the target. Mattias Svanberg has made a run from deep and is under the high ball and is able to control it on his chest. A further touch with his right foot brings it away from both his body and the chasing defenders. His third touch strikes it up and over the oncoming keeper. It nestles in the net, right hand side, halfway up. We are a goal to the good and we haven't even played two full minutes! 

From the restart Israel work it down the left with Harush, who feeds Zahavi in our box, his touch takes him past our defenders and through to our keeper. But that touch was heavy, and his body angle is all wrong. Before he can set himself to shoot, Dahlberg has made it off his line to collect the ball at his feet. Hope its not going to be like this all game!

(will continue this once I've finished getting ready for work!)

[Mandy42]

(So turns out I'm continuing this while at work!)

Just like his Israeli counterpart, Dahlberg wastes no time distributing the ball. Its rolled out and passed around our back line, into midfield a time or two but all inside our own half. Then a whipped long ball into the right channel in search of Roony Bardghji. He controls it and is on the verge of exploding into the space behind the defence, when a last ditch sliding tackle from their fullback steals the ball off his foot. Then its Israel's turn to play the ball around for a few passes. Before they try thread Dabbur in behind. Lindelof extends every inch of his frame to cut the pass out with his head. Before we once again target Bardghji down the right. This time on the outside, but the ball is too long and it skips off the grass and out for a throw in. Our 16 year old inside forward gives a thumbs up for the intent. And I catch my breath after a fabulous but frenetic first four minutes. 

There's a few minutes rest bite as both teams pressure the other during throw ins on the far touchline. Neither side allowing space for the team throwing the ball in to have time to distribute it effectively. Finally, Bardghji nips the ball off the toes of Zahavi on the halfway line and darts in field with it. He bends his run as he launches into the opposition half. He gets about a third of the way into their half, nothing but open space on his outside as Forsberg has made a darting run inside. The ball ends up at the feet of our left winger, who hits it without hesitation. It dips gloriously and smashes into the bar. Cannoning back into play.

Israel scramble it away and we recycle the ball. Once again to Forsberg out on the left touchline, he beats his man and comes in to the edge of the area. Playing a ball along the floor to Andersson. The big man has his back to goal, in a flurry of movement he turns and shoots. Proving he's in the team for his height and hold up capability. As his shot is wild and is closer to the corner flag than the far post from six yards.

The game descends into a bit of a lull for 10 or more minutes. Both teams trade possession and fouls. Neither getting a grip on the game. Just after the 15 minute mark, Bardghji makes a carbon copy of the cross field run he made earlier. The field seems to open up for him and he just keeps driving forward. Forsberg has stayed wide of the box this time and a neat pass inside their fullback teases Dan Glazer to slide in and cut out the ball. He misses it and Forsberg is free to control it and take his time picking out a pass. He once again finds Andersson in almost exactly the same position with his back to goal. The big man once again tries shoot, but luckily for everyone involved the shot is blocked and bounces back out of the area. Svanberg heads it back into the box. Forsberg is unmarked in the left side of their box. The prone Glazer, slow to get up, is playing him onside. A tidy touch to control it and an even tidier finish sees the veteran winger double our money. 2 - 0 with 18 minutes played!

Israel try get back in the game with a period of high tempo play. The manage to force a number of back to back corners. Finally, one clearance makes it out almost to the halfway line where Andersson can get on the ball and hold up play. For a second there is a chance of a counter, but our target man calmly rolls the ball back to Ohlsson and we pass the ball short for a few moments. Andersson drifts the other side of the halfway line, and is the target of a chip pass a few seconds later. He shields the ball away from Dor Peretz and turns beyond him in the process. He trundles forward moving towards the right channel. Again he has the option to play in a surging Roony Bardghji on the overlap. But he refrains, turns back inside and plays a ball back into midfield to Svanberg. Who then first time puts in Alexander Isak through the centre with a perfect ball. Pretty much straight through our strikers legs as he's running into the box. The Israeli defence have no chance and Isak doesn't even need to take a controlling touch before he sweeps it into the net off the bottom of the right hand post. 3 - 0 after 25 minutes played and I'm in dreamland! 

From the restart Israel work it down the left for Solomon, he's been their brightest player so far. And its his turn to jink inside and drive with the ball at his feet. He gets into the centre circle and cuts upfield. A step over takes him past Svanberg with ease. Then he accelerates, angling towards the far corner of our box so that our defenders can't cut him off. He gets into the area and shots hard and low. Dahlberg is at full stretch as he manages to palm the ball out for a corner. Doesn't look like we can rest on our laurels.

They work the resulting corner better, in that they don't let us clear it, come down the pitch and score, but ultimately the ball goes out of play for a goal kick to us. We bring it out, and a few minutes of keeping the ball later and we are playing the game in the opposition half. Only Dahlberg and Nilsson for us are even in our own half. After some short controlled passing, there is almost an air of inevitability when the ball goes in the air towards the right side of their box. Bardghji chests the high ball down, turning towards the touchline to control it fully, before delivering it low into the box. Andersson controls it, but once again our target man is well off target. But the Israeli defender doesn't know its going wide and throws a foot at it. He diverts the ball back out towards the touchline and a very thankful Roony Bardghji. This time the low cross goes beyond Andersson to the left hand side of the box. Forsberg has come in from the wing and meets the low cross mid stride. He lashes the ball with the inside of his right foot and it rasps into the bottom right corner for our fourth! 4 - 0 after 27 minutes and two goals in two minutes! 

Israel are all over the place, don't seem to be able to string two passes together. Even less when we engage a press and force them to try play the ball into a confined space. Only three minutes after our fourth goal and we are coming down the right again. This time Ohlsson has it inside their half with tons of grass ahead of him. Both of their wide players are marking Bardghji until one of them reluctantly comes forward to engage the ball. Bardghji makes a run inside along their backline. While Ohlsson plays the ball outside towards the corner flag. It looks like a miscommunication between the two, until the young inside forward curls his run and with a burst of pace makes it to the outside pass. He crosses it low and their defence hacks it clear off the boots of Andersson. 

But its coming straight back, this time on the left with Forsberg, he holds it up, gives it Svanberg inside, who finds Andersson with his back to goal about 10 yards outside their area. Andersson slides a ball into the box for Isak, who is on the shoulder of the last defender and accelerates onto the pass. He lifts this one over an already diving Marciano who gambled it would go where most of our shots have gone, bottom right corner. No dice, straight down the middle over his prone form. 5 - 0! 

Bit late now but Israel suddenly begin playing without any fear. They ping the ball around with reckless abandon, stringing together their longest set of passes of the game. Solomon drives down the left before they work the ball across the field. It comes back towards halfway before it gets looped in behind on the right. Dan Glazer their wingback on the overlap is in behind in the area. He shapes to shoot, but Augustinsson (not for the first time) blocks it out for a corner.

The corner doesn't beat the first man, but Israel keep the ball. They certainly don't have a problem passing it around now. They try work exactly the same passage of play to get Glazer in again. But Augustinsson is alive to the threat once more, this time he cuts out the pass with a simple headed back pass. 

Almost disaster! A simple long punt upfield from a goal kick sees Zahavi in behind. Lindelof and Svanberg both leave the ball to each other. And when it bounces the Israeli fox is away. Luckily our defenders crowd him out wide. But he gets a cross off into the box which sees Cohen strike it from just beyond the penalty spot. Lindelof hacks it away on the volley before it can threaten Dahlberg.

They recycle the hacked clearance, and now the game is being played in our half. Dabbur and Cohen are sitting just on the D outside our box and slipping into pockets of space to receive the ball. Zahavi makes a run behind and they find him with the ball. He is 1 v 1 with Dahlberg but his shot is tame and straight at our keeper. Easy catch down to his left. 

Nothing much else comes from the last 10 minutes of the half. Which I'm thankful for, as we certainly look like we need a wakeup call at the back. Another booming Marciano goal kick in stoppage time isn't dealt with properly. Zahavi gets the better of Lindelof. There is more than a hint of backing in, but at 5 - 0 down I don't think the referee is showing any interest. The Israeli striker drives into the box, this time his shot has much more venom too it. Dahlberg can only parry it and our defence sweeps it out to the left flank and hacks it away.

That brings the first half too a close. Definitely conflicted. I'm elated with the performance for the first 30 minutes. Five goals for no reply and a stranglehold on both the group and promotion to the top tier. 

But the last 15 minutes have been bordering complacent and while it is unlikely to have an effect on this tie. I don't want that to be an ok attitude from the players going forward.

Time for my first half time talk of my career. 

 

 

 

[Mandy42]

First order of business is to make some halftime changes. I had a list of players I wanted to introduce in the Finland game if we had taken care of business against Israel. With the greatest respect, at 5 - 0 up with a half to play. Business was already taken care of. 

So Amir Sher replaced Mattias Svanberg in midfield. While Sebastian Andersson our target man was withdrawn, his job was well and truly done. And in his place Dejan Kulusevski was introduced. Which meant we switched to the 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 formation I was hoping to deploy more often than not. 

After that I didn't really know what to say. Yes I was blown away by our first half efforts. But at the same time the sloppy ending didn't make me feel good. I was desperate to keep a clean sheet in the second half. But it didn't feel right to warn the players against complacency with a 5 - 0 lead. Eventually I settled on praising their first half performance. What with it being my first game in charge, nothing wrong with greasing the wheels slightly.

After the almost frantic start to the first half, I didn't know how the second would go. Israel kicked off, and they seemed content to keep the ball to themselves. I guess they wanted to ease into the half and not be subjected to another quick fire five minute scoring spree like they had during periods of the first half. 

After seven or more minutes of lulling us to sleep with the patient passing. Solomon gets the ball in a pocket of space halfway inside our half on the left hand side. He turns and instantly drills a ball along the floor into the right side of our penalty area. Liel Abada has acres of space, but his first touch is too heavy and the ball runs harmlessly on to Dahlberg. 

He slows the game down, walking out to the edge of our area before rolling the ball to one of our centre backs. They pass it between themselves, into midfield for Sher to get on the ball. Before it ends up on the left side our defence with Augustinsson. The tempo suddenly ramps up as he finds Forsberg ahead of him, who likewise plays a looping ball forward for Isak to chase beyond the last defender. Isak controls it, gets into the box, then squares it all the way to the right corner of their box. Roony Bardghji takes a touch to control it before putting his right foot through the ball on the volley. The keeper manages to get both hands behind it and palms it over the bar. 

The resulting corner is cleared upfield to Solomon who takes the ball to the touchline just before halfway. Then darts inside, he leaves Sebastian Ohlsson in his wake as he drives into our half. We have defenders flooding back but it doesn't look like anyone is going to get in his way. He makes a beeline for the left corner of the six yard box and looks like he's going to pull the trigger. But then diverts away from goal to the byline. He pauses, looks for someone in the box, but our swarming defenders have cut off his angles. He sends the ball back, almost to the halfway line, on the left touchline. Cohen takes one touch and delivers a deep cross to the far post. This time the ball is spot on, Abada rises highest and his downward header beats the flailing Dahlberg, only to smash against the foot of the right hand post and roll back into play. We hack the ball clear and I breathe again.

Sher picks up a booking for a cynical push in the midfield. Annoying as he's only been on the pitch about 15 minutes. He slightly redeems himself just on the hour as Isak makes what seems to be an almost trademark run into the left channel. He goes in behind the fullback, pulling one of the centre backs with him. Which allows Forsberg into the central space between the Israeli defence. Our veteran winger is about to pull the trigger when a lunging tackle takes the ball off him. Sher runs onto the ball from deep and hits it. The shot curls dangerously, but just clears the right corner of the bar. 

Couple of minutes later and he is involved again. We've worked the ball down the right and Bardghji makes his first mistake of the game. He drives inside from the touchline, squeezing between two Israeli players. But looks like he's run himself down a cul-de-sac. He turns, head down and plays a rather wayward pass backwards. Which has Ohlsson scampering back into our own half to retrieve it. 

We redirect the play and go down the left, Forsberg sends it centrally to Sher, who finds Isak on the edge of the box, Isak gives it to Kulusevski, who returns it to Sher. Our midfield substitute slides Isak in on down the left side of the box. The subsequent shot is low and across the keeper. Going in off the bottom of the far post for Isak's hattrick. 6 - 0 62 minutes of the game played.

From the resulting kick off Israel go long looking for Solomon down the left, but we cut it out. We keep possession until Kulusevski is muscled off the ball and Israel spring Abada down their right. He gets in behind the defence but his attempt on goal is blazed high and wide to the left of our goal. 

The quality seems to go out of the game for 10 or so minutes. We have a Forsberg corner go straight to their keeper. His resulting attempt to play someone in behind our defence goes long and we recover the ball. Cajuste plays Isak in, he's constantly on the shoulder of the last defender and peeling into space. This time his finishing deserts him as he places a rather tame shot to the keepers left. He goes down and palms it away for another corner.

After a few more exchanges of possession due to sloppy passing. We are into the last 20 minutes of the game. Israel look to be having the most joy out wide. With both Solomon and Abada looking to have more stamina remaining than our fullbacks. This time its Solomon down the left, and this time he doesn't switch his run and cut to the byline, he turns inside when he gets to the box and shoots. Dahlberg has to reposition himself at the last second. Which makes his dive look much more theatrical than required. But he saves and holds on to the ball. 

We go straight up the other end, Bardghji finds an overlapping Ohlsson who puts the ball in the box. Isak peels off the defender and has a free header from just outside the six yard box. But its straight at the keeper and an easy height for him.

Then its Israel's turn. They have the ball down our right, which we look to have handled. They play it all the way back to their keeper. He delivers a booming long ball down our left. Solomon wins the header and suddenly Zahavi is on the loose ball and into our box. His shot is hard and low. Dahlberg gets down and pushes it away. It bounces off the outside of the post and goes for a corner.

The corner is deep, Israel are queueing up at the back post. Forsberg is beaten to the ball and the header flashes towards goal as Dahlberg flings himself through the air. It hits the keeper and goes out for another corner.

The second corner, from the opposite side is deep once more. This time its met on the corner of the six yard box. But the header fizzes over the bar and we can release some of the pressure. 10 minutes left in the game.

Dahlberg might have taken a knock during that last passage of play. Or he's a little flustered by the Israeli pressure. Either way he walks the line between allowed time wasting and getting a caution while positioning the ball for the goal kick. He plays it into defence and his actions in delaying the restart seem to set the tone for the team. We play the ball around, Kulusevski coming so deep to create another player in midfield that he's almost standing on Sher's toes. A couple of times the ball goes down the right, but it keeps coming back and worked across our back four then back again. 

Finally it goes to Roony Bardghji on the right and he turns upfield instead of going backwards with the ball. He plays it in behind their defence. Forsberg has made a run between the left wingback and the central defender. He meets the ball on the half volley and strokes it into the bottom left corner of the goal! 7 - 0, Forsberg with his second goal and Bardghji with his second assist! 

But the flag is up, it won't count. Either the ball was too late, or the run wasn't angled properly. But Forsberg is clearly offside and the goal is chalked off. Oh well. 

The final minutes play out quite calmly. We force another couple of corners but they come to nothing. Israel keep chipping away when they have the ball. Zahavi is still trying to make headway down our left channel when the final whistle goes with the two minutes of stoppage time having been played. 

My first international game is over. And I couldn't have asked for a better result!