Spain is the most serious favourite to win the first place and it won all three matches played so far, while the Swedes occupy the second place and they won two and drew one match. Both teams routinely won outsiders on last Friday and they met the last time in 2008 when Spain won by 2-1.
The Spaniards do their job as it is expected, at least for the time being, and they occupy the first place in the Group F having maximal nine points. It can be said that no rival is equal or stronger than then, but there are a several national teams that could be tough nut to crack. The Spaniards had faced Norway and didn’t easily win, which the final 2-1 suggests. In the second round they went to Malta and of course they were absolute favourites to win, however, they didn’t play well that match either.
They won by 2-0; Morata was scorer of both goals, while on Friday they faced another outsider Faroe Islands. They did somewhat better although they received a goal, while the result read at the end 4-1. It is interesting that neither of Spain’s forwards was a scorer against Malta and instead scorers were wingers Navas and Gaya, and stopper Ramos, who also scored an own gol. The team was changed a bit compared to match with Malta and Cazorla was back in the starting line-up. We expect new changes and refreshments in the team that will face Sweden.
Probable lineups Spain: Arrizabalaga – J.Navas, Hermoso, I. Martinez, Gaya – Busquets, Rodri, Cazorla – Asensio, Morata, Isco
The Swedes can be satisfied with results made in first three rounds even though they haven’t won all matches. In the first round they met Romania at home and this was a very important duel at the very beginning of the qualifying cycle in which Sweden played quite well and won by 2-1, although in the second half they played in fear all the way to the very end. Away match with Norway in the second round was a much bigger challenge and in the end even six goals were scored in the great match. It ended as a draw since the Swedes received the third goal in the sixth minute of added time.
However, we should add that Norway had a lead of 2-0 after first 60 minutes, when it seemed that the Swedes won’t escape the inevitable. They scored three goals, one of which was an own goal, while Claesson and Quaison scored two, players who also scored against Romania. Sweden had the easiest job on Friday when it met Malta and won by 3-0. It scored the first goal scored at the very beginning of match, the second at the start of the second half and the third in the finish of match. Claesson and Quaison scored again by one goal and it is clear that the two of them are Sweden’s most important players at the moment.
Probable lineups Sweden: Olsen – Lustig, Jansson, Helander, Augustinsson – Claesson, Olsson, Ekdal, Forsberg – Quaison, Berg
Spain is definitely a favourite to win the match, especially as it will play at home, but Sweden is good enough to put up a strong resistance. The Spaniards didn’t exactly make a name for themselves in first three rounds and we believe that the Swedes won’t fall without a great fight.
Pick: Asian handicap +2 Sweden 1.54 - 54/100 @1XBet