Leeds United star makes much-anticipated injury return with World Cup now in sight
A Leeds United defender got important World Cup warm-up minutes under his belt on Thursday.
Leeds United defender Gabriel Gudmundsson played his first football in almost six weeks on Thursday night as Sweden drew 2-2 at home to Greece.
Gudmundsson had been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury during Leeds’ FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea on April 26. The 27-year-old missed his side’s final four Premier League games but was called up for Sweden’s World Cup squad, insisting he’d be ready in time to contribute.
He missed a 3-1 defeat against Norway in Oslo on Monday night but was confirmed to return against Greece by head coach Graham Potter. The Leeds left-back did indeed walk out at Stockholm’s Strawberry Arena as part of the starting-XI for Sweden’s final World Cup warm-up clash.
Gudmundsson started at left wing-back on the night and got 64 minutes under his belt before being replaced by Elliot Stroud. The friendly was level at 1-1 at the time, with Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres cancelling out an early Kostas Tsimikas opener.
Gustaf Nilsson put Sweden ahead shortly after Gudmundsson’s removal and that looked set to be the winner, but for a 95th-minute equaliser courtesy of Giorgos Masouras. The result leaves Sweden winless from their two World Cup warm-up games with a trip across the Atlantic now in sight.
Leeds United defender eyeing World Cup starting spot
Gudmundsson will hope to have done enough to prove his fitness and retain a place in the starting XI. But head coach Potter hinted after Thursday’s draw he is still unsure regarding who will start his side’s tournament opener against Tunisia in 10 days.
“I have a lot of positions in mind,” Potter said. “But there is still time and space. We have over a week of training until the opener. It is a balance between having an environment where there is competition and at the same time you need stability.”
Sweden kick-off their World Cup campaign against Tunisia in Guadalupe, Mexico on June 15 before facing the Netherlands in Houston, Texas five days later. Gudmundsson’s side then head to Arlington in the same state for a final group stage meeting with Ao Tanka’s Japan on June 26.
Tanaka and his Japan teammates are already in the United States having rounded off their pre-tournament preparations with a 1-0 win over Iceland on Sunday. Like Gudmundsson, Noah Okafor will hope to make his return to the national team when Switzerland face Australia on Saturday before flying across the Atlantic.
Brenden Aaronson’s USA have their final warm-up game against Germany, also on Saturday night. The attacking midfielder watched from the bench as Mauricio Pochettino’s side beat Senegal 3-2 last weekend having recently got married.