In an intense battle for a top-two finish in Euro 2024 qualifying Group F, Sweden will face Austria in Stockholm on Tuesday evening.
The Swedes, coming off a dominant victory over Estonia, aim to close the gap on their Austrian counterparts in the standings. However, a defeat could jeopardize their chances of qualifying for the finals next summer.
Sweden started the European Championship qualifying double-header in Tallinn with a crucial win against Estonia.
This victory revived their hopes of securing a place in the top two, which guarantees direct entry to the finals.
The new generation of Swedish forwards, including Viktor Gyokeres, Dejan Kulusevski, and Alexander Isak, displayed their talent and contributed to a commanding first-half performance.
Despite a 5-0 triumph over Azerbaijan earlier this year, losses to Austria and Belgium have left Sweden with a challenging task.
The team’s absence at Qatar 2022 and the disappointment of their recent UEFA Nations campaign have further heightened the pressure on coach Janne Andersson.
Returning to the classic Swedish 4-4-2 formation, Andersson seeks to guide his team to victory in this crucial match.
On the other hand, Austria sits in second place in Group F, level on points with leaders Belgium. Their recent success against Sweden demonstrated their ability to control their destiny in the qualification race.
Under the guidance of German coach Ralf Rangnick, Austria aims for a third consecutive qualification for the European Championship.
Austria’s unbeaten run continued with a 1-1 friendly draw against Moldova. Despite going behind in the early stages, the team showed resilience and managed to equalize thanks to Michael Gregoritsch’s goal.
The introduction of Real Madrid star David Alaba during the second half proved pivotal in securing a positive result.
However, if Austria wants to maintain their position as qualification favorites, they will need to step up their game against Sweden.
Expected Lineups:
Sweden:
- Olsen
- Wahlqvist
- Lindelof
- Hien
- Olsson
- Kulusevski
- Cajuste
- Gustafson
- Forsberg
- Isak
- Gyokeres
Austria:
- Schlager
- Posch
- Lienhart
- Alaba
- Wober
- Laimer
- Schlager
- Seiwald
- Baumgartner
- Gregoritsch
- Arnautovic
Predictions: This match promises to be a closely contested encounter between two evenly matched teams.
Austria holds the advantage of a draw further solidifying their status as qualification favorites.
However, if Sweden’s attacking players can find their form, they have a chance to secure a crucial victory. Ultimately, a hard-fought 1-1 draw seems like the most likely outcome.