Alexander Isak marked his return from injury with a solo goal for Sweden, but it came too late to alter a 3-1 friendly defeat by Norway on Monday in Oslo. The forward was introduced just after the hour mark, when Norway already led 3-0, and needed only 14 minutes to make his presence felt.
That is why Sweden Fc was suddenly on the search list on Monday. Isak had not played for Sweden since his injury setback, and this was the first clear sign he could be back in rhythm before this summer’s World Cup. He collected the ball just past halfway after a clearance, drove into the box and curled a shot beyond Orjan Nyland, a finish that briefly gave Sweden some life in a match that had already swung Norway’s way.
The goal mattered because it came from a player Liverpool invested heavily in on deadline day, breaking the Premier League transfer record to bring him in from Newcastle. He then played 22 games in his first season and scored four goals, but his campaign was interrupted when he sat out three of the Reds’ final four games and missed matches against Manchester United and Aston Villa before being left on the bench against Brentford. That patchy run has made every appearance between now and the summer a test of both recovery and readiness.
Sweden’s evening still ended in frustration, and that is the part that cuts through the highlight. Isak’s strike did not change the result, because Norway had already done enough, and the friendly exposed both the promise and the problem of relying on one returning forward to steady a team in a warm-up game. His return offers Sweden a lift and Liverpool a reason to watch closely, but it also leaves the sharper question hanging over the next few weeks: whether he can stay fit through the World Cup and into preseason at Anfield.
That matters even more now that talks are beginning with Andoni Iraola over a move into the Liverpool dugout after Arne Slot's firing at the weekend, while Hugo Ekitike is set to miss at least part of next season. For Isak, Monday was a welcome step back onto the pitch. For Sweden and Liverpool, it was a reminder that the comeback has started, not finished.
