Viktor Gyökeres Shines in Sweden's World Cup Warm-Up
Viktor Gyökeres picked up exactly where he left off.
Fresh from a prolific domestic campaign, the Sweden striker struck again in his country’s final tune-up before the 2026 World Cup, bending in a superb second-half free-kick in a 2-2 draw with Greece in Stockholm.
It was a goal that underlined his growing authority from dead-ball situations. Standing over the ball with Sweden trailing, he whipped his effort beyond the wall and into the corner, a finish full of confidence and precision.
Greece had drawn first blood. Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas arrived from the left to open the scoring for the visitors, silencing the Friends Arena and briefly puncturing the party mood around Sweden’s send-off.
Gyökeres dragged his side level, and the momentum turned. The pressure told again when Gustaf Nilsson pounced to put the hosts in front, Sweden seemingly on course to sign off with a morale-boosting win.
They were seconds away. Deep into stoppage time, Giorgos Masouras found the equaliser in the 95th minute, snatching a draw and reminding Sweden that World Cup warm-ups rarely follow a neat script.
Merino leads Spain in final home outing
In A Coruña, Spain also signed off in front of their own fans with a 1-1 draw, this one against fellow World Cup qualifiers Iraq.
Ferran Torres provided the early spark. Teed up by Dani Olmo, the forward finished clinically to give La Roja control and an early grip on the evening. Spain moved the ball with their usual rhythm, probing, waiting for gaps.
Then came a jolt. Merchas Doski caught goalkeeper Joan Garcia out, levelling the game and quietening the Riazor just as Spain seemed to settle.
The second half turned into a test of patience rather than a procession. On came Mikel Merino in the 68th minute, replacing Alex Baena and later taking the captain’s armband as Spain pushed for a winner that never quite arrived.
The scoreline stayed fixed, but the night still carried weight. Spain had said goodbye to their home support; next stop is Mexico, where Peru await in Puebla in their final rehearsal before the real thing begins.
Hale End’s O’Neill steps onto the senior stage
Away from the World Cup build-up, one of the most meaningful moments of the night unfolded in Cadiz.
Ceadach O’Neill, the highly regarded Hale End winger, made his senior debut for Northern Ireland in a hard-fought 1-0 win over Guinea at the Estadio Municipal de la Linea de la Concepción.
Just 18, O’Neill has already brushed against first-team football at club level this season, catching the eye in Premier League 2 and the UEFA Youth League. This was the next step. Called from the bench as a second-half substitute, he replaced Isaac Price in the 64th minute and was thrown straight into the contest.
By then, the decisive moment was already on the board. Tom Atcheson had struck what proved to be the winner, and Northern Ireland dug in to protect it, with O’Neill playing his part in seeing the result home.
His reward could be even bigger. Next up is a trip to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille to face France, a fixture that may pit the teenager against another of his club’s rising stars on one of European football’s grander stages.
