Guidetti stars as Sweden rout Malta
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
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Sweden 5-0 Malta
John Guidetti scored twice inside the first half-hour as Sweden won the battle of the bottom two in Group 7.
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Sweden showed no mercy to the bottom side in UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying Group 7, with Malta being beaten soundly in Malmo.
Manchester City FC's John Guidetti was the star of the show, scoring twice as his team built up a 4-0 lead by the interval. His first was a fine strike from 20 metres, with Victor Claesson making it 2-0 with a terrific volley on 20 minutes. Guidetti then netted from a rebound after Branimir Hrgota's shot was blocked, while Hrgota was on the scoresheet seven minutes later, finishing after Simon Thern passed to him having shaped to shoot from a free-kick.
Claesson set up Hrgota for what should have been goal No5 on 59 minutes, but Malta keeper Jurgen Borg received a rare lucky break to deny him. He produced a much more impressive save to fend away a Simon Kroon effort ten minutes later, yet had no chance from the rebound as Christoffer Nyman rounded off the scoring.