Arsenal forward scores 2nd goal in 2 internationals despite stuttering club form
Having scored the winner for Sweden against Romania last week, Viktor Gyokeres was unsurprisingly named in the starting lineup for his team’s second match of the break against Poland on Monday night.
With Liverpool striker Alexander Isak withdrawing from the squad due to injury, Gyokeres has an even bigger role to play for the remainder of the break, and he’s already his team’s star goalscorer anyway.
Fortunately, it seems the Arsenal forward is ready to step up to the task, and he followed up last week’s winning goal with another goal on Monday.
Sweden took the lead early on in the contest, but Poland equalised just before half-time. The scores remained level until the 63rd minute, when Yasin Ayari helped the hosts to retake the lead, before Gyokeres killed the contest with another goal nine minutes later.
Gyokeres found himself in space in the six-yard box after a great cross by Patrik Walemark, and the Arsenal striker guided the ball home on the volley for 3-1.
With no further goals, Sweden ended the night in top spot of their Nations League group, two points ahead of Bosnia & Herzegovina. They travel to Bosnia next, for a game on Friday night, before wrapping up the break away to Romania.
Gyokeres admitted over the weekend that he needs to improve if he wants to win back his starting spot with Arsenal, but he’s ready to put in the hard work.
“I obviously need to do better and I’m willing to do it, so there’s no problem,” Gyokeres said. “If you do well, you get accolades and if you don’t score as a striker and perform as they expect, of course there will be criticism. It goes up and down, so it is for all footballers. That’s normal.”
This international break is proving an opportunity for the 28-year-old to build up some momentum, ahead of his return to north London.