Today, the women’s national team kicks off the national team year 2024 with an important playoff match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, where the goal is to stay in the A division. Kick-off takes place at 13:00 in Zenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina. The match is broadcast by Sportbladet Plus.
Five scouts before the match
First playoff game
As you know, Sweden finished in third place in the autumn group stage in the Nations League A division behind Spain and Italy. This means that the team now needs to play a playoff over two games against Bosnia-Herzegovina, who finished in second place in their group in the B division. At stake is a place in the A division in this year’s edition of the Nations Leauge and thus a more favorable path to the European Championship 2025 in Switzerland, as this year’s Nations League serves as an European Championship qualifier.
Kosovar Asllani suspended
With Kosovare Asllani’s yellow card in the final Nations League match against Spain last year, the midfielder is suspended and thus misses today’s match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Young Bosnian generation on the rise
It is a young squad that Bosnia-Herzegovina’s national team captain Samira Hurem is in charge of. About half of the squad’s players were born in the 2000s. Center back Gloria Sliskovic (born 2005) and forward Maja Jelcic (2004) have both already taken the step to Italy and the big clubs Juventus and Inter. The youngest in the squad, on the other hand, is 16-year-old (!) forward Una Rankic (2007).
Jusu Bah selected for the first time – Hammarlund back after four years
Peter Gerhardsson invited a debutant to the squad in the form of 20-year-old winger Monica Jusu Bah from BK Häcken, who has been selected for the women’s national team for the first time. Another player that Gerhardsson took out was Pauline Hammarlund from Fiorentina, who is making her first collection with the women’s national team since autumn 2020.
Sembrant and Asllani captains during the rally
At the beginning of the gathering, the confederation captain Peter Gerhardsson announced that Linda Sembrant and Kosovare Asllani are team captains during the February gathering and the double matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The coach quote
– Bosnia-Herzegovina is a very physical team that plays with great marking elements, even if they move the team around a lot in their game as well. It will be tough and above all here on their home ground. We need to be able to do that, to play loose without getting caught up in their tough game, says union captain Peter Gerhardsson.
Mutual meetings
Sweden: 2 wins | 4 goals scored | 0 goals conceded
Draws: 0 matches
Bosnia-Herzegovina: 0 wins | 0 goals scored | 4 goals conceded
That’s how it went last time
Sweden and Bosnia-Herzegovina have only met each other on two previous occasions on the women’s side. It was at the WC qualifiers 2013/2014 and Sweden emerged victorious from both matches. In the first match away from home, there was an odd goal win with 1-0, Lotta Schelin scored the only goal of the match, from the penalty spot. In the second match at home at Gamla Ullevi, it ended with a clear 3-0 win after a goal by Lina Nilsson and two new goals from Lotta Schelin.
Bosnien-Hercegovina i Nations League
Belarus – Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2
Bosnia-Herzegovina – Slovenia 1-1
Bosnia-Herzegovina – Czech Republic 1-0
Czech Republic – Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-2
Slovenia – Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-1
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Belarus 1-0
Bosnia-Herzegovina – Sweden | February 23 | Playoffs
Sweden – Bosnia-Herzegovina | February 28 | Playoffs
The scorers: Milena Nikolic 3, Maja Jelcic 2, Andrea Gavric, Alma Krajnic, Minela Gacanica
Latest starting eleven (Bosnia-Herzegovina – Belarus 1-0, Nations League)
Jelena Gvozderac
Ena Sabanagic – Gloria Sliskovic – Melisa Hasanbegovic
Selma Kapetanovic – Marija Milinkovic – Aida Hadzic – Emina Ekic
Maja Jelcic – Amela Krso – Minela Gacanica
The opponent profile
Milena Nikolic | 1992 | Forward | Basel
One of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s most meritorious and experienced players. Breakthrough at Serbian clubs Masinac and Spartak Subotica where she collected a total of three league titles and five cup titles. In the 2013/14 season, she also won the top scorer league in the Champions League when she scored eleven goals in five games for her Spartak Subotica. Ahead of the 2016 season, she signed for German SC Sand where she won a silver from the German Cup before moving to Bayer Leverkusen. Nowadays, she plays in Swiss Basel, where she joined last year. Has scored 20 goals in 60 internationals and is thus only six goals away from becoming Bosnia-Herzegovina’s top scorer on the women’s side.
The talent
Gloria Sliskovic | 2005 | Center back | Juventus
Only 18 years old, but has already reached double figures with international matches for his Bosnia-Herzegovina. Started in five of the country’s six games in the autumn’s Nations League, mostly as a centre-back, but also substituted as a full-back and defensive midfielder. Despite her young age, she won the double in her home country with SFK 2000 in both 2021/22 and 2022/23. She then joined Juventus last year where she already has a Super Cup title. Seen as Bosnia-Herzegovina’s great future promise together with the one-year-younger forward Maja Jelcic, who plays for Inter.
Troup of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Goalkeepers: Jelena Gvozderac (ŽNK Emina), Indira Faković (SFK 2000 Sarajevo), Envera Hasanbegović (SFK 2000 Sarajevo)
Backing: Ena Šabanagić (Fomget GSK), Nina Brnić (ŽNK Hajduk), Melisa Hasanbegović (Braga), Amela Kršo (SFK 2000 Sarajevo), Emma Veletanlić (Kolding IF), Gloria Slišković (Juventus)
Midfielder: Marija Aleksić (Beşiktaş JK), Marija Ana Milinković (FC Inter), Dajana Spasojević (SFK 2000 Sarajevo), Elma Smajić (DVTK), Aida Hadžić (Trabzonspor), Alma Krajnić (SFK 2000 Sarajevo), Elma Husić (ŽNK Emina), Selma Hasić (ŽFK Radnik Boomerang)
Forwards: Nikolina Milović (ŽFK Crvena Zvezda, Serbia), Una Rankić (ŽFK Leotar), Sofija Krajšumović (ŽFK Crvena Zvezda), Maja Jelčić (FC Inter), Milena Nikolić (FC Basel), Minela Gačanica (SFK 2000 Sarajevo)
The national team captain: Samira Hurem
Facts Bosnia-Herzegovina
Number of ECs: 0 | Best results: –
Number of WC: 0 | Best results: –
Number of Olympics: 0 | Best results: –
Merits: –
World ranking: 64
Highest rank: 57 (March 2018, December 2020)
Most caps: Sabina Pehic, 101 caps
Most national team goals: Sabina Pehic, 26 goals
Sweden in the Nations League
Sweden – Spain 2-3
Italy – Sweden 0-1
Sweden – Switzerland 1-0
Sweden – Italy 1-1
Switzerland – Sweden 1-0
Spain – Sweden 5-3
The scorers: Magdalena Eriksson 2, Lina Hurtig, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Linda Sembrant, Julia Zigiotti Olme, Kosovare Asllani, Stina Blackstenius
Latest starting eleven (Spain – Sweden 5-3, Nations League)
Jennifer Falk
Hanna Lundkvist – Linda Sembrant – Amanda Ilestedt – Magdalena Eriksson
Filippa Angeldahl – Kosovare Asllani (K) – Julia Zigiotti Olme
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd – Stina Blackstenius – Amanda Nildén
Sweden’s squad
Goalkeepers: Tove Enblom (Vålerenga IF), Jennifer Falk (BK Häcken), Zecira Musovic (Chelsea)
Backing: Jonna Andersson (Hammarby IF), Nathalie Björn (Chelsea), Emma Kullberg (Brighton), Hanna Lundkvist (San Diego Wave), Amanda Nildén (Tottenham), Josefine Rybrink (BK Häcken), Linda Sembrant (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders/Forwards: Filippa Angeldahl (Manchester City), Anna Anvegård (BK Häcken), Kosovare Asllani (AC Milan), Hanna Bennison (Everton), Stina Blackstenius (Arsenal), Pauline Hammarlund (Fiorentina), Madelen Janogy (Fiorentina), Monica Jusu Bah (BK Häcken), Rosa Kafaji (BK Häcken), Elin Rubensson (BK Häcken), Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea), Olivia Schough (FC Rosengård), Matilda Vinberg (Tottenham), Julia Zigiotti Olme (Brighton)
The national team captain: Peter Gerhardsson
Facts Sweden
Number of European Championships: 11 (by 2022) | Best result: European Championship gold (1984)
Number of World Cups: 9 (by 2023) | Best result: Silver (2003)
Number of Olympics: 7 (by 2021) | Best result: Silver (2016 & 2021)
Merit: EC gold 1984, EC silver 1987, 1995 & 2001, WC silver 2003, WC bronze 1991, 2011, 2019 & 2023, Olympic silver 2016 & 2021
World ranking: 5
Highest rank: 1 (August 2023)
Most international matches: Caroline Seger, 240 international matches
Most national team goals: Lotta Schelin, 88 goals
