What: Playoff to the World Cup, decisive match.
When: Tuesday 20.45.
Where: Schlesienstadion, Chorzow.
TV / radio: TV4 / C More / P4 Radiosporten.
It concerns: The winner of the match reaches the World Cup finals in Qatar in November-December. If the match is not decided after the regular 90 minutes, an extension (2 x 15) minutes awaits. Can not the law be separated where penalty kicking awaits.
Previous playoffs: Sweden missed the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 after losing the double match with Portugal. Things went better in the autumn of 2015 when Denmark was defeated in the decisive matches to reach the European Championships the following summer. In November 2017, Sweden sensationally beat Italy by a total of 1-0 and reached the World Cup finals in Russia.
The advantage: Sweden has won the last six international matches against Poland, the most recent this summer: 3-2 in the group stage of the European Championships.
Question mark: Albin Ekdal and Joakim Nilsson. Clear doubts about whether they will come into play.
Available again: Emil Krafth and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are eligible after being suspended in the playoff semi-final against the Czech Republic.
Poland lacks: Bartosz Salamon and Arkadiusz Milik. Question mark for Krzysztof Piatek.
Alternative player choices: Emil Krafth and Ludwig Augustinsson will return to their regular positions as fullbacks. There is a lot to suggest that Marcus Danielson plays center back with Victor Nilsson Lindelöf. Furnishing is also likely to take place in midfield. Mattias Svanberg is highly relevant to replace Ekdal. Viktor Claesson’s matchovana shone through against the Czech Republic. Is Dejan Kulusevski playing on a midfield edge instead? Something that in that case opens for Robin Quaison next to Alexander Isak.
Probable starting eleven:
Sweden: Robin Olsen – Emil Krafth, Victor Nilsson Lindelöf, Marcus Danielson, Ludwig Augustinsson – Viktor Claesson, Kristoffer Olsson, Mattias Svanberg, Emil Forsberg – Dejan Kulusevski, Alexander Isak.
Substitutes: Andreas Linde (mv), Kristoffer Nordfeldt (mv), Daniel Sundgren, Joakim Nilsson, Filip Helander, Pierre Bengtsson, Carl Starfelt, Anthony Elanga, Branimir Hrgota, Jesper Karlsson, Jesper Karlström, Robin Quaison, Albin Ekdal, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Federation captain: Janne Andersson.
Poland: Wojciech Szczesny – Jan Bednarek, Kamil Glik, Bartosz Bereszynski – Matty Cash, Jakub Moder, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Arkadiusz Reca – Piotr Zielinski, Sebastian Szymanski – Robert Lewandowski.
Federation captain: Czeslaw Michniewicz.
Taming: Daniele Orsato, Italien.
Nice Swedish memories from Chorzow:
Three times the national team has traveled to the Silesian Stadium in Chorzow in southern Poland and returned as the winner. In all cases, it has been a qualifying match. In two of them, Sweden secured playoff spots.
● October 25, 1989, World Cup qualifier, 2-0 victory
Sweden, under Olle Nordin’s leadership, had not been in a championship since 1978 and victory was a must to reach the World Cup in Italy the following year.
Thomas Ravelli was in great shape and saved the team during the initial Polish onslaught. Shortly before the break, Peter Larsson beat the penalty that gave 1-0 and in the second half came Johnny “Bråttom” Ekström’s classic goal. From his own half of the field, he set full speed and pushed Sweden to the World Cup.
● March 31, 1999, European Championship qualifier, victory with 1-0
Fredrik Ljungberg decided with the only goal of the match, a victory that laid another cornerstone for the advancement to the playoffs in Belgium and the Netherlands in 2000.
● September 10, 2003, European Championship qualifier, 2-0 victory
Mikael Nilsson and Olof Mellberg scored the goals when Sweden took the chance and qualified for the playoffs in Portugal.
– We congratulate the entire Swedish people on this, said national team captain Tommy Söderberg.
At home, the country was shaken by the assassination of Foreign Minister Anna Lindh.
Read more:
Johan Esk: Is it really profit we want?
War present before the playoff match: “Trying not to think about it”
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