In a battle between two Manchester United team-mates on the international stage, it’s fair to say one got the better of the other.
This is certainly not the debut Jon Dahl Tomasson was hoping for when he signed up to take over the Swedish national team a couple of weeks ago. The Scandinavian outfit surprisingly failed to nail down a spot at Euro 2024 – hammered by Azerbaijan in the qualifying phase – and the nature of Thursday’s heavy defeat in Guimaraes offered a timely reminder about the size of the challenge facing the former Blackburn Rovers boss.
Sweden were 2-0 down after 33 minutes, and 3-0 down at half-time. By the time the hour mark was reached, a prancing Portugal had five, Bruno Fernandes filleting Victor Lindelof with one Manchester United star thriving as his Old Trafford team-mate – handed the armband by Tomasson this week – toiled on Portuguese soil.
Bruno Fernandes gets the better of Victor Lindelof
“He’s a unique player,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez tells O Jogo of Fernandes. “He has special attributes, a sense of control, technique and skill, resistance…”
Fernandes, who tapped home a fine cross from Wolves’ Nelson Semedo on the stroke of half-time, scored his 20th goal on the international stage. He is now the 12th player in Portuguese history to reach such a milestone.
Manchester United captain reaches Portugal milestone
The Man United skipper now also has 19 assists for the Iberian nation, showcasing both his renowned work rate and his consumate vision as he disposed a Swedish defender before setting up a simple finish for substitute Bruma after the interval.
Portugal, running riot after swapping the pragmatist Fernando Santos for the more attack-minded Martinez, are now on a run of 11 straight wins, scoring 41 goals in the process.
Bruno Fernandes, quite remarkably, has scored or assisted over 30 per cent of those.
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