Nottingham Forest attacker Anthony Elanga played a key role in Sweden’s commanding 5-1 victory over Northern Ireland in a friendly match in Stockholm.
Coming off the bench, Elanga scored in the 77th minute, contributing to a dominant performance for the hosts.
Despite the heavy loss, Elanga praised Northern Ireland’s youthful side, calling them a “really good, young team” under the guidance of manager Michael O’Neill.
He also commended their 19-year-old goalkeeper, Pierce Charles, describing him as an “amazing prospect” with a bright future.
Elanga’s familiarity with several Northern Ireland players, such as Ethan Galbraith and the Charles brothers, added depth to his admiration for the squad.
Sweden secured the win without key players like Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski and Sporting Lisbon’s Victor Gyökeres.
Elanga, however, was unfazed by starting on the bench, given Nottingham Forest’s upcoming FA Cup quarter-final clash with Brighton. “Coming on, I wanted to make an impact and score—that’s what I did,” he said.
