An unexpectedly long, difficult journey and an increasingly nervous night eventually ended in almost the easiest way imaginable. With four minutes remaining, Álvaro Morata found himself all alone four yards out with the ball at his feet and the Sweden goalkeeper, Robin Olsen, on the ground, free to calmly, almost gently lift in the goal that took Spain to the 2022 World Cup. At last, it was over, for the home side anyway. Sweden will have a second chance to make it to Qatar via the play-offs.
For much the final night of a qualifying campaign that closed with first and second in group B facing each other, it had seemed like Sweden might not need the play-offs. They enjoyed the best chances, putting Spain on a knife-edge. Until Dani Olmo’s thunderous shot crashed off Olsen’s fingers, against the bar and dropped to Morata, La Cartuja erupting. Rafael’s My Grand Night boomed round at the final whistle; it hadn’t been that good, but they had got there. Not since 1974 have Spain missed out but for a while here, that long run felt like it was at risk. Asked what he felt when the goal went in, Olmo replied: “relief”.
