A heavy defeat on home soil against Denmark has left Sweden struggling in their quest for automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
With one win, one draw, and one loss from their Group A1 fixtures, Sweden faces mounting pressure ahead of today’s (Saturday 18th) clash with Serbia, which kicks off at 16:00 CEST at Strawberry Arena.
The previous encounter ended in a goalless stalemate in Stara Pazova six weeks ago, marking a missed opportunity for Tony Gustavsson’s squad, particularly after Serbia suffered a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Italy while the Swedes conceded a late goal to lose against Denmark.
Denmark currently occupies the automatic qualification spot with seven points, while both Sweden and Italy sit on four. A convincing victory is essential for Sweden this afternoon, along with hoping Italy can do them a favour in Copenhagen, to maintain any realistic hopes of finishing at the top of the standings before the final matches in June.
“We absolutely need to secure three points tomorrow,” stated a resolute Julia Zigiotti Olme before the match in Solna. “We are incredibly eager for revenge. The disappointment from that match (the 0-0 draw) still lingers. We wanted those three points, and we must claim them tomorrow.”
In a pre-match media session, Gustavsson shared that his team had the privilege of meeting his counterpart from the men’s side, head coach Graham Potter, who recently navigated a Swedish team through World Cup qualification.
“We received really warm congratulations. It was a lot of fun, and we also had the chance to celebrate their World Cup qualification,” Gustavsson remarked about his interaction with Potter.
Potter’s visit aimed to uplift a women’s team hampered by injuries this year, shortly after several seasoned players retired from international duty. One of the injured players, Nathalie Bjorn, was also present to lend her support and boost team morale.
“She plays a significant role within the national team, and it’s wonderful to see her again,” Zigiotti Olme added.
Bjorn will miss this international window, as will captain Kosovare Asllani, who is on the road to recovery following knee surgery.
Additionally, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd is dealing with a calf issue that sidelined her for the Denmark match. Gustavsson hopes she can contribute against Serbia, although it won’t be from the starting lineup.
“It’s unlikely she’ll start, considering her limited training. I estimate she’ll play between 0 and 45 minutes,” he acknowledged.
Compiled by SportArena.au
Fanpage: SportArena.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
