Sweden takes on holders USA in the headline clash of the Round of 16 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup at Melbourne.
SWE-W vs USA-W Match Details
Date: Sunday, 6 August 2023
Time: 14:30 (IST) / 20:00 (ACT)
Venue: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
SWE-W vs USA-W Match Preview
Sweden became one of the three teams in the tournament to carry a 100% record from the group stages to the knockouts alongside England and Japan. Having struggled a bit in the 2-1 comeback victory over South Africa in the opener, Peter Gerhardsson’s team got into the groove in the next two matches with a 5-0 mauling of Italy and the 2-0 victory over Argentina on Wednesday. The goals against La Albecieste came late but Rebeca Blomqvist's 66th-minute header and a late penalty from Elin Rubensson ensured all three points for the much-changed Sweden team. Topping Group G, the Blue and Yellow thought they will be tangled with a European tie with the Netherlands but it is the tournament defenders USA they are set to face in the last-16. However, Sweden will like to play the tie at this moment in time considering the holders look uncharacteristically out of shape. The 3-0 win for the Swede in the last meeting at the Tokyo Olympics will be playing in the back of their mind as they take to the pitch on Sunday. The challenge will still be huge but losing just once this year is sure to give them confidence ahead of the pivotal clash. Progressing to the knockouts in eight of the nine finals, Sweden will wish to enter the quarterfinals for the sixth time.
USA’s qualification to the knockouts was decided by the skin of the post which was struck by substitute Ana Capeta for Portugal in stoppage time ending the game 0-0. The newcomers would have pulled off a seismic upset at the moment by knocking the holders out and sealing a place in the last-16. Instead, it will be USA scraping through to maintain their record of going beyond the group stages at every participation after also beating Vietnam and drawing 1-1 with the Netherlands. After a long time in the competition, the North Americans are forced to take a sharp look at themselves collecting the fewest point in the group stages of the Women’s World Cup history. To make matters worse they will have to face the challenge of Sweden in the last 16 for being runners-up to the Netherlands in their group. USA have never finished before the semifinals and has lost just once in eight matches against Sweden in the finals, the most time they have faced them than any other opponents. Despite their underwhelming performances, the record champions are unbeaten in 22 matches in the finals and currently are on 12 game undefeated streak. So the royalty and unscratched records are certainly going to help them after getting a second life in the tournament and silence the noises around the team.
Recent Form (Women’s World Cup)
SWE-W: WWW
USA-W: DDW
SWE-W vs USA-W Team News
After resting a whole host of players in the last group games, Sweden are expected to call back the players began the first two matches of the tournament. With the exception of Jennifer Falk and Sofia Jakobsson who could retain their spot. Goal-scoring Center-back Amanda Ilestedt will start for the fourth consecutive match and hope to add to her tally of three.
Their opponents USA will also remain unchanged from their draw against Portugal in the last game with only Trinity Rodman replacing Lynn Williams in the forward line. Rose Lavelle picked up a booking in her full match for USWNT since her injury. So, the midfielder will miss this crucial last-16 clash for crossing the limit of cards.
SWE-W vs USA-W Predicted Lineups
SWE-W: Falk; Bjorn, Ilestedt, Eriksson, Andersson; Angeldal, Rubensson; Jakobsson, Asllani, Rolfo; Blackstenius
USA-W: Naeher; Fox, Grima, Ertz, Dunn; Savannah Demelo, Sullivan, Horan; Rodman, Morgan, Smith
SWE-W vs USA-W Head to Head
Played: 44
SWE-W won: 8
Drawn: 13
USA-W won: 23
SWE-W vs USA-W Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Falk (Cr - 8, Pts - 38)
DEF: Andersson (Cr - 7, Pts - 110), Illestedt (Cr - 9, Pts - 307), Dunn (Cr - 7, Pts - 108)
MID: Asllani (Cr - 9, Pts - 51), Horan (Cr - 8.5, Pts - 192), Rubensson (Cr -7.5, Pts - 128), Jakobsson (Cr - 8, Pts - 80)
FW: Rolfo (Cr - 9, Pts - 117), Morgan (Cr - 9, Pts - 63), Smith (Cr - 9, Pts - 160)
Vice-captain: Fridolina Rolfo
Captain: Lyndsey Horan
Also check out here Sweden Women - World Cup Records and Stats and USA Women - World Cup Records and Stats
