Viktor Gyokeres was on hand to score a hat-trick as Sweden closed in on a World Cup spot this summer with the Arsenal striker leaving his mark on the opposition manager
Viktor Gyokeres bagged a hat-trick to down Ukraine and boost Sweden's World Cup hopes
Viktor Gyokeres bagged a hat-trick to down Ukraine and boost Sweden's World Cup hopes
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Viktor Gyokeres "proved he’s one of the best strikers in Europe" with a hat-trick on Friday night which helped take Sweden to the brink of World Cup qualification.
The Arsenal star remains a shining light for his country, who are managed by Graham Potter, and he's aiming to help them reach this summer's major tournament. Gyokeres forged a reputation as one of the most prolific frontmen on the continent whilst he was at Sporting Lisbon.
He's found the goals harder to come by since his summer switch to the Gunners, but was on hand to deliver a crushing treble in Thursday night's clash against Ukraine, which was played in Valencia.
Gyokeres has now scored 18 goals for his country. His first on Thursday came after just six minutes. He and Sweden had to wait until the 50th minute to double their lead before the Arsenal star completed his memorable night from the penalty spot.
Speaking after the game Ukraine head coach Serhiy Rebrov admitted that Gyokeres had showcased why he was one of the elite finishers on the continent.
He said: “I believed in my team throughout the match. We did everything we could and had chances to score, but their early goal hurt us, just as it did in the second half. We finished the match well, but it wasn’t enough. Viktor Gyokeres made the difference tonight. He showed his quality and proved he’s one of the best strikers in Europe.”
The result leaves Sweden in a World Cup play-off final, where they will face Poland. The winner will confirm their spot for this summer's World Cup and go straight into Group F, which already features the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.
The Arsenal star completed his treble from the spot
The Arsenal star completed his treble from the spot
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If Sweden do qualify for the World Cup then Gyokeres goals during the Nations League campaign will have proved crucial. He scored nine times to land the top scorer award ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo (eight) and Erling Haaland (seven).
Those strikes played a big role in helping Sweden to earn promotion to League B as they topped Group C1 ahead of Slovakia, Estonia and Azerbaijan.
For his club Gyokeres continues to be the main man in attack, despite periods where he's clearly struggled, but in his debut campaign he has scored 16 times for Arsenal, who are well placed to end their trophy drought.
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