Sweden Stages Dramatic Comeback to Defeat Switzerland in Junior World Championship

Sweden secured a thrilling 4-2 comeback victory against Switzerland in the 2025 Junior World Championship held in Minnesota, USA. The match saw Sweden initially take an early lead through Eric Nilson, who scored just 53 seconds into the game with an assist from Leo Sahlin Wallenius. However, Switzerland equalized before halftime and controversially took a 2-1 lead after a disputed goal confirmed via video review, a decision that caused confusion and criticism, including from hockey expert Håkan Loob.

Facing a deficit, the Swedish team refocused during the second intermission and triggered a rally in the latter part of the game. Seventeen-year-old Viggo Björck emerged as a standout performer, scoring a remarkable equalizer with a stunning individual effort praised by Loob as "incredibly beautiful" and among the best goals he's seen. Björck, the youngest player on the Swedish team, was named player of the match and emphasized the importance of teamwork and playing faster.

Following Björck's goal, Lucas Pettersson scored two crucial goals, including the game-winner, to secure Sweden’s second consecutive victory in the tournament. The final goal came into an empty net, sealing a confident 4-2 win. Despite some criticism from Djurgården's sports director Niklas Wikegård over Ivar Stenberg's performance, Sweden's overall resilience was evident.

This win keeps alive Sweden’s hopes of capturing their first junior-VM gold medal since 2010, the year Mika Zibanejad scored the decisive goal against Russia. Looking ahead, Sweden faces Germany on Monday and the USA on New Year’s Eve in the group stage, with quarterfinal matches scheduled for January 2-3, semifinals on January 4-5, and the final on January 6.