Sweden had been trying to feed Isak from the moment the match began. If Leo Lin had not called for the ball, Lustig might well have intercepted Olmo's cross after all those extra touches.
Larsson could then have launched a counterattack with a curling cross, giving Isak a chance to head at goal.
Hierro had repeatedly warned Laporte not to lose track of Isak. He might be young, but his scoring rate was extremely impressive.
Pedri took the corner, with Leo Lin waiting at the near post.
Pedri sent it directly toward Morata, but Pau Torres got there first and headed over the bar.
"They didn't coordinate that well. Pau Torres took the header away from Morata but couldn't direct it toward goal. That was a defender's header through and through!"
Sweden continued attacking by looking for ways to bring Isak into play.
They did not rely solely on crosses. They also used through balls and low passes, patiently moving the ball around before eventually feeding Isak, hoping he could either get past Laporte or shoot directly.
"At the moment, Sweden and Spain are both creating chances."
"It's remarkable that Sweden have produced a player like Isak. He gives them far more hope at this European Championship."
"Some people say Sweden having Isak is like Poland having Lewandowski, but Sweden's supporting cast is actually stronger overall than Poland's."
"Or perhaps Poland simply haven't found a style that suits them yet. I don't think their coach has brought out the full strength of the team!"
Scholes was still focused on Spain's midfield. Leo Lin and Pedri were not operating side by side. Pedri stayed in midfield, while Leo Lin had much more freedom to move.
"With Pedri in the team, Spain's midfield tactics will change, and that will affect the way the entire side plays."
"At the last World Cup, we saw Spain play on the counterattack, and they won the title with that approach. Will they continue playing on the counter at this European Championship?"
Sweden were still using a game plan designed to deal with a counterattacking Spain, and they had prepared it well.
In the 19th minute.
"Kristoffer Olsson plays it back. Lindelöf receives it and sends it left to Augustinsson!"
"Spain's pressing has been excellent. It looks a little like Liverpool's. Zubizarreta must have picked up plenty of ideas there and brought them back to Spain!"
"Augustinsson finds Ekdal. Ekdal carries it forward and lays it off to Berg!"
Berg first dropped deep to receive the ball from Ekdal. Once he had it, he deliberately drew Pau Torres along with him.
Pau Torres was being pulled farther and farther out of position. He did not want to follow, but Zubizarreta had set Spain up to defend man to man in this match.
Berg was his assignment. No one else would mark him, so Pau Torres had to follow.
After dragging Pau Torres away, Berg played the ball back to Kristoffer Olsson.
Pedri immediately closed him down. Kristoffer Olsson wanted to exploit the space Pau Torres had vacated by slipping a through ball to Isak, but the moment he released it, Laporte stepped forward.
He had read the passing lane perfectly.
"Man-to-man defending is working very well for Spain because Sweden can't disguise where their passes need to go."
"As long as every Swedish player is being tracked by a Spanish defender, no matter how they move the ball, every pass still has to travel through an area Spain are watching!"
But if Spain committed to man-to-man defending, it also meant they would not rely on counterattacks, because the two approaches did not fit together particularly well.
After winning the ball, Laporte immediately began using the same approach he played with at Manchester City.
He first passed to Pedri. Olmo and Oyarzabal then began making runs like Liverpool's wingers.
Leo Lin offered himself to Pedri, received the ball, and immediately slipped a through pass to the right.
Oyarzabal's excellent first touch gave Morata time to push forward.
Oyarzabal then lifted another pass toward Morata.
Morata ran onto it and drove his shot toward goal.
Olsen pushed the ball behind.
"Did you see that?!"
"That was a fascinating attack!"
"Spain built from the back like Manchester City, transitioned through midfield like Liverpool, and then became far more unpredictable in the final third!"
"Hierro's new system seems to combine features from several different clubs!"
Scholes had noticed it too, but he was not as excited as Stam and did not rush to judge it.
Combining so many different ideas within Spain's tactics did not guarantee that they would work.
"Something that works well in one place won't necessarily work everywhere. These tactics may suit Manchester City, and they may suit Liverpool, but combining them does not automatically mean they'll suit Spain's players."
"Their squad is different, and so are the characteristics of their game."
Scholes felt that Spain might instead lose the qualities that had originally made them distinctive.
Spain won another corner, and their attacks were gradually becoming more frequent than Sweden's.
Pedri began speaking with Leo Lin, because Spain were about to make another tactical adjustment.
In the 23rd minute.
Sweden continued building through different defenders and moving the ball through different midfielders before eventually funneling everything toward Isak.
Their overall pattern resembled a series of glowing points, skipping across several stages before finally landing at Isak's feet.
"Danielson sends a long ball forward. Larsson heads it toward Kristoffer Olsson."
"Kristoffer Olsson cushions it on his chest and brings it under control."
"Rodri wins it!"
"That challenge came out of nowhere!"
"Since winning the Champions League, Rodri's tackling has improved dramatically, and more and more supporters now recognize his quality as a defensive midfielder!"
After dispossessing Kristoffer Olsson, Rodri carried the ball smoothly toward the right, then cut back toward Pedri.
It looked as though he was holding onto the ball for too long, but he was actually drawing Sweden's midfielders together.
Those two changes of direction caused Ekdal and Kristoffer Olsson to drift closer without realizing it.
Pedri deliberately moved toward the flank to pull Larsson away, opening a passing lane between Larsson and the now clustered Ekdal and Kristoffer Olsson.
Leo Lin was waiting at the end of that lane.
Rodri slipped the ball through to him, and only then did Sweden realize they had made a mistake.
Leo Lin kept dribbling. He first burst to the left, then changed direction with a backheel touch, pursuing the same objective as Rodri.
He drew Danielson and Lindelöf together.
Then he delivered a pass worthy of a world champion to Morata.
This time, Morata's shot left Sweden's goal trembling.
"Rodri and Leo Lin combine, Morata finishes, and Spain lead Sweden!"
"The move began with their build-up system in defense, and then they applied the same principles in the final third!"
"Spain aren't simply blending tactics from different clubs. They're constantly changing their approach on the pitch!"
"They can rely entirely on their build-up system, or they can play purely in Liverpool's style!"
"Or they can combine the two. That is the strength of the world champions!"
...
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