Anthony Elanga was Sweden's World Cup hero on Thursday, but his immediate reaction following the final whistle suggested otherwise. Elanga's stunning goal secured a 1-1 draw against Japan in their final Group F match, a result that propelled Graham Potter's side into the last 32 as one of the top eight third-place teams.
Despite being named man of the match, Elanga sat dejected on the turf, appearing to believe Sweden had been eliminated. His misunderstanding of the qualification permutations only became apparent in the post-match press conference.
"That explains a few things then, it can't be any clearer, it couldn't have been any clearer for him," Potter joked about the winger's reaction. "He's obviously thinking about something else, bless him. I love him at the moment but, dear me."
Elanga's strike was his second of the World Cup, and Potter expressed hope that he would carry his scoring form into the next stage of the tournament. In the last 32, Sweden is set to face one of France, Norway, Germany, or Switzerland. Current standings suggest a potential Tuesday match against France at 10 p.m. BST.
"We were just delighted to be there and then, whoever we meet, we know we meet a top team, so we have to be ready," Potter stated regarding their next opponent.