Spain vs Sweden. Prediction and Preview. Probable Lineups, Team News, Stats, and more

Spain will face Sweden in the FIFA Women’s World Cup semifinal match at the Eden Park Stadium in Auckland City, New Zealand. The fixture will take place on Saturday, August 15, beginning at 13:30 IST.

Parimatch News will tell you everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming match.

Spain News & Current Form: 

Four years ago at the World Championships in France, the Spanish team finished second in the group, but in the first round of the playoffs ended up going straight to the future winner of the championship, the USA team. This time the Spanish national team has already achieved the highest achievement in its history, reaching the semifinals of the world championship.

In the group wards of Jorge Vilda started very confidently. Already on the second day of the competition, they easily defeated the national team of Costa Rica with a score of 3:0, and then defeated the team of Zambia with a score of 5:0. In the third round, the Spaniards found out in a match against Japan, who will go to the playoffs from the first place. The match raised a few questions about the future prospects of La Roja. This time the Spanish suffered a major defeat with a score of 0:4.

All the frustration from the defeat in the last round of the group stage of the Spanish national team took out in the 1/8 finals in a match with the Swiss team, with the score of 5:1. 

Scorer of the decisive goal in the game against the Netherlands – Salma Paralluelo

Spain had a harder time in the quarterfinals in the match against the Netherlands. It ended with the score 2:1. Mariona Caldentey scored for the Spaniards in regular time and converted the penalty. Nevertheless, the opponent got back already in added  time. In overtime, the winning goal was made by 19-year-old Salma Paralluelo, who came on as a substitute.

Three representatives of the Spanish national team at the tournament scored three goals each: the top scorer in the history of the FC Barcelona Femeni club Jennifer Hermoso, Aitana Bonmati and Alba Redondo.

Sweden News & Current Form: 

The Swedish national team is a more titled team. In 2003 in the United States, they won the silver medal at the World Championship, and three more times they have won bronze medals, including four years ago in France. 

The Blues and Yellows have yet to suffer a single defeat in Australia and New Zealand. In Group G they confidently took the first place, defeating South Africa (2:1), then defeated Italy (5:0) and in the final round in a non-decisive match defeated Argentina (2:0).

The Swedes seemed to be unlucky with the playoff grid. In the first match they had to play four-time world champions Americans. The main and extra time of the match was a goalless draw, and then there was a dramatic penalty shootout, as a result of which the reigning world champions went home.

 Filippa Angeldahl scored a winning goal in the game with the team from Japan

In the quarterfinals, the Swedish team took on the strong Japanese and played very stylishly. Scandinavians opened the scoring in the match in the 32nd minute, Amanda Ilestedt got on the scoresheet. She has already scored four goals, despite the fact that she is a defender. The Swedes doubled their lead in the 51st minute. The author of the second goal was Filippa Angeldahl, who successfully converted a penalty kick.

At the end of the match, in the 87th minute, Japan reduced the deficit thanks to the efforts of Honoka Hayashi. Ten minutes earlier, Japan had failed to convert a penalty kick. The final whistle of the referee recorded a victory for the Swedish players.

Fridolina Rolfö about the opponent:

“Spain plays very pass-oriented, if they don’t have the ball they want it back very quickly, they have many individually skilled players who can make a difference out there. We need to be very accurate in our defense above all. It will be a key for us that we are compact, that we are aggressive, but also in attack, that we are brave. That we make the actions we talk about, maybe especially in the transition game.”

Kosovare Asllani, one of the longest-serving Swedish players in the national team, ahead of the semi-final:

“Experience is definitely something we can benefit from, we have gone far in the last few tournaments and that is something we will take with us. But above all, the way we got here. We’ve won games in different ways and that shows the breadth of the team. Games can look different, but in the end the most important thing is the result. I think experience can be a key tomorrow and I will try to spread calmness.”

When asked about the coach, she answers:

“Peter has meant a lot to me personally, especially for my national team career. I would say that the role he gave me right away when he took over was a role with a lot of responsibility and he put me directly in the position I love to play the most, in an attacking midfield role.”

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Spain form guide: W-W-L-W-W

Sweden form guide: W-W-W-W-W

Spain vs Sweden Head-To-Head Record:

• October 7, 2022: Spain 1 – 1 Sweden (International Friendly).

Spain vs Sweden Predicted XI:

Spain’s possible starting lineup (4-3-3): Coll; Hernandez, Paredes, Ivana, Batlle; Bonmati, Abelleira, Hermoso; Paralluelo, Caldentey, Gonzalez.

Sweden’s possible starting lineup (4-5-1): Musovic; Bjorn, Ilestedt, Eriksson, Andersson; Angeldahl, Rubensson; Rytting Kaneryd, Asllani, Rolfo; Blackstenius.

Statistical preview of the match Spain vs Sweden:

• Spain’s First XI average age is 26.6 yrs.
• Sweden’s First XI average age is 29.0 yrs.
• At the 2023 World Cup, Spain won 3 out of 5 matches (1 draw, 1 defeat) in regulation time.
• At least three goals have been scored in the first 90 minutes in 5 of Spain’s last 6 matches at the World Cup. 
• Sweden have not lost in regular time in their last nine matches at the World Cup (7 wins, 2 draws).
• In 3 out of 4 previous matches at this tournament, the Scandinavians kept their gates untouched.
• Sweden have scored at least two goals in 5 of their last 6 games at the World Cup.
• Matches involving Spain at this tournament have seen an average of 11.8 corner kicks. And in Sweden’s games, the teams have approached the corner flag 9.6 times each per 90 minutes.
• No more than 10 corners have been awarded in regulation time in 6 of Sweden’s last 8 World Cup matches.

What has been said before the match:

Gaffer of La Roja Jorge Vilda about his team’s readiness for the game and rise of Women’s football in Spain:

“Their strengths are obvious. Physically they are a force, they have shown how dangerous they are from set-pieces throughout the World Cup and as a team, they are very strong going forward. But we are Spain and we have to stick to our own plans and focus on that.”

“We know what we have to do. I am pretty sure that we are going to see Sweden show their best side tomorrow and so we will have to be at our best too. Small details will be very important as will handling moments of the game mentally. My team has been able to bounce back from adversity, here and in the past. That’s why I think we’re ready.”

“We have been practicing penalties. We have our own methods but we’re not going to reveal them. We’ve been working on all of those things for the last two months. But it’s impossible to reproduce a penalty shootout on the training pitch. We can only make sure that we are prepared and keep in mind that we could be faced with a similar situation to what happened in the Australia-France match, which went to 10 penalties”

“The national team is all about this group of players. They give everything they have in every training session. They work together, united as one, as a team. During the past two months, apart from the good atmosphere within the group, there is camaraderie.”

“We haven’t really been able to get a full idea about how the public’s reaction back home in Spain but we have received lots of messages – from the Royal Family, clubs, institutions… I gauge how we are doing by the number of messages I receive after the game, I have so many unanswered WhatsApps. Women’s football is experiencing an explosion, in Spain we are experiencing it without having yet won anything at senior level”.

Peter Gerhardsson, coaching Sweden, complimented the opponent ahead of the semifinal:

“Spain’s best side, they’re good in keeping the ball and moving the ball. When they lose the ball high, they’ve very quick at winning the ball back. It’s going to be a high-pressing Spain and the same goes for Sweden. For me, it’s lovely football.”

Spain vs Sweden Prediction:

Amidst the grandeur of the World Cup stage, both Spain and Sweden have unfurled a captivating symphony of football prowess. In this tapestry of athletic artistry, both sides have been prolific, their gameplay vibrant and impactful. Across their preceding five encounters, the Red-Blues have orchestrated a mesmerizing 21-goal spectacle, registering an average total of 4.20 goals per match. In parallel, the Yellow-Blues have woven a tale of 14 goals, a balance between yielding and seizing, at a rate of 2.80 goals per game. These numerical ballets danced on this prestigious platform, where the value of each goal is incalculable, stand as a testament to their spirited pursuits.

However, beneath the surface numbers lies a nuance that paints a deeper picture. It is Sweden’s defensive phalanx that emerges as the bedrock of reliability, parrying away opposing aspirations with an astonishing concession rate of merely 0.4 goals per game. The Spaniards, on the other hand, have crafted their narrative through their formidable presence in the attacking third, harmonizing their collective efforts to conjure a symphony of 15 goals, the highest amongst the tournament’s contenders. Alas, this pursuit of offensive excellence casts a shadow upon their rearguard, averaging a concession of 1.2 goals per 90 minutes.

In this grand theatre of international football, the narrative unfurls as expected for the Scandinavians, habitués of the medal podium at such esteemed competitions. The annals of history brim with their tales of conquest. In stark contrast, La Roja, like intrepid explorers, have ventured to this juncture for the first time in their storied saga. Hence, the repository of experience tilts favorably towards the Swedish contingent, a reservoir of victorious exploits. Moreover, their voyage in this 2023 World Cup has been characterized by unwavering stability and dominion. Their record stands unsullied by defeat, although they have faced higher-ranked opponents. In the opposing corner, the Spanish contingent has faced setbacks amidst their otherwise valiant expedition. Their voyage was marred by such clouds as a 0:4 blow in the hands of the Japanese and a protracted grueling duel against the Dutch, spilling over into extra time. 

Thus, the balance of expectations sways in favor of the steady resolve upheld by the Nordic stalwarts. A supposition crystallizes, envisioning the Swedes as custodians of balance, finely positioned to elude the grasp of defeat within the designated match duration.

Parimatch News staff prediction:

We say: Sweden will not lose in the regular time and the match total will be over 1,5 – Yes.
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