Sweden is the new second in the world rankings.
Tuesday night’s opponent Georgia? 123: a.
It’s on paper a “simple” World Cup qualifier that awaits the football ladies in front of 3,000 spectators in Gothenburg, but last week’s World Cup qualifier showed that a low-ranked opposition does not necessarily mean a Swedish goal party.
Sweden admittedly took three points away against Slovakia on Friday, but won “only” by 1-0 in a match where Olympic silver magic from last summer was missing.
When the qualifiers first home match will now be played, national team captain Peter Gerhardsson makes six changes, and chooses to start in a 3–4–3 formation instead of in the more rehearsed 4–3–3 variant.
In the back line, Nilla Fischer makes a blue-yellow comeback after refusing the Olympics for family reasons. The 37-year-old has not played an international match since April this year.
– Peter takes out the ones he thinks are best. If I’m 37 better than a 20-year-old, then I’m going with you, Fischer said earlier this week and told me that the Olympics at home from the TV couch have made her more motivated.
– This summer has definitely made me more eager to drive for a while longer.
Into the defense comes also Nathalie Björn from the start and in the finish, veteran Hedvig Lindahl is back after knee problems last time.
Real Madrid star Kosovar Asllani is also back in the eleven after only having to settle for a run-in last week, due to a previous covid disease. And going forward, Olivia Schough and Anna Anvegård also get the chance when players like Sofia Jakobsson and Stina Blackstenius start on the bench.
Other players who are resting are right-back Hanna Glas and mid-back Amanda Ilestedt.
Last week’s goal scorer Fridolina Rolfö starts – at least on paper – in a role as an outside.
Sweden’s starting eleven, 3–4–3:
Hedvig Lindahl – Nilla Fischer, Nathalie Björn, Magdalena Eriksson – Olivia Schough, Filippa Angeldahl, Caroline Seger, Fridolina Rolfö – Anna Anvegård, Kosovare Asllani, Lina Hurtig.
The text is updated.