Following an impressive pre-match rendition of Romania’s national anthem titled Wake Up Romania, the same refrain was quickly being shouted at the home side as a call to improve on a dismal start, during which Gyokeres tapped home into an empty net from six yards out just 12 minutes in for what turned out to be the only goal of the game.
The strike was as fortunate as it was predatory, with Sebastian Nanasi’s shot hitting the post and rebounding straight to the Arsenal forward, who found the net for the seventh Nations League match in succession.
Despite the rest of the half being evenly matched, the visitors continued to create the better chances. Gyokeres somehow failed to divert his header goalwards having got on the end of a teasing Eric Smith cross, and on the stroke of half-time, Nanasi weaved his way towards goal but could not find a way past Romania goalkeeper Otto Hindrich.
With memories of their heaviest defeat this decade still lingering, a much-improved second-half performance from Romania meant a repeat of Friday’s 6-0 rout by Poland looked unlikely. However, on the occasions when the Tricolours found their way to goal they found a foe in Sweden goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, as the Stoke City stopper denied Nicolae Stanciu from long-range before turning away Florin Tanase’s shot from 12 yards out.
As the seconds counted down in Bucharest, the hosts’ initial second-half promise receded rapidly and another defeat loomed ever larger. Ultimately there were few late scares for Graham Potter’s men, as the Scandinavian side were once again fired to victory by the killer instinct of their striking talisman.
Sweden now need only a point from their next two games to seal a top-two spot in Group B4 thanks to the 10 they have accumulated over the past two weeks despite the squad being ravaged by illness and injury. The still-pointless Romania are on the verge of being consigned to a relegation playoff after what has been a disastrous return to the national team dugout for Gheorghe Hagi.