Playing one player down for the last 22 minutes and stoppage, Sweden managed to pull out a 2-1 victory over France to give them third place in the 2011 World Cup. Marie Hammarstrom became the hero with a stunning strike in the 82nd minute.
Both teams entered this third place match minus one of their star players. Marie-Laure Delie for France and Caroline Seger for Sweden were both out of this match because of injuries. Sweden started Nilla Fischer in the midfield for Seger. France went with Eugenie LeSommer for Delie. And in yet another shuffling of the French back line, Bruno Bini started Corine Franco at right back and put Wendie Renard in at center back.
Sweden appeared to break through in just the fifth minute. Linda Forsberg hit a forceful header through with Lotta Schelin getting behind the defense and scoring, but offsides was the ruling in what was a very close call. Sweden again came close in the 14th minute, with Charlotte Rohlin heading a corner kick, but right at Berangere Sapowicz.
France's first real chance was in the 23rd minute, with LeSommer getting through with some room on the right side of the box, but her low shot was lacking pace and directly at Hedvig Lindahl.
Sweden did take the lead in the 29th minute. Sara Larsson sent a brilliant long ball out of the back, splitting the central defenders with Schelin running onto it. Schelin used the outside of her right foot to touch it past a charging Sapowicz and into the goal.
Sapowicz was injured on the play as her foot got tangled with Schelin's after the shot and she landed very awkwardly on her ankle. Celine Deville had to replace Sapowicz and Louisa Necib, who had received a knock in the knee earlier came off in favor of Elodie Thomis. France were down a goal and had lost two more players to injury.
France came back with a couple of chances. Gaetane Thiney shot high and wide to the right from 14 yards in the 33rd minute. France came very close in the 36th minute with Thiney touching the ball to Elise Bussaglia, whose drive from 22 yards hit the right post squarely and bounced away.
Sweden had a couple of chances of their own in the closing minutes of the half. Rohlin once again came close on a header off of a corner kick, with this one going just inches over the crossbar. As the final seconds ticked off, Therese Sjogran found Schelin open on the right side. She dribbled into the penalty area to within eight yards, but her shot was right at Deville's head and the French keeper pushed it away.
France did get the tying goal early in the 2nd half. In the 56th minute, Thiney turned on a defender and pushed the ball ahead to Thomis. Her right-footed shot from 20 yards was well placed inside the left post and it beat Lindahl to tie the score at one.
Sweden made their first substitution in the 62nd minute, sending in Marie Hammarstrom for Linda Forsberg. It would prove to be a fortuitous decision for Thomas Dennerby.
The action went end-to-end in the next few minutes. Lisa Dahlqvist sent Josefine Oqvist in alone on the left side. But with Deville coming out to cut off the angle, Oqvist's shot hooked just a bit and the ball bounced off the right post and away. At the other end, Thomis was able to get within six yards to take a shot from a bad angle, but Lindahl made the save on that shot. The ensuing corner kick saw Thomis putting the ball just wide of the post.
Things got very chippy in the 68th minute. With Oqvist approaching the penalty area from the right side, she and Sonia Bompastor collided. It appeared that Bompastor tried to kick Oqvist as both were falling to the ground. Oqvist retaliated by kicking Bompastor and as often happens, only the second offense was caught by the referee and Oqvist was sent off.
Sweden made another substitution as Nilla Fischer went down with an injury and Linda Sembrandt was sent in.
In the 82nd minute, Schelin and Laura Georges were chasing the ball on the side of the penalty area, with the ball appearing to go of Schelin last. However, Sweden was awarded a corner on the play and that decision proved important.
Sjogran took the corner and it was headed away by France, but Hammarstrom recovered the ball about 25 yards from the goal. She first volleyed the ball over LeSommer's head, then touched the ball back to the left to get by Bompastor. She then released a bullet of a strike that found the upper left corner of the goal, beating Deville and putting Sweden back ahead by a 2-1 margin. It was certainly one of the best goals of the tournament.
Now down a goal, France subbed in Caroline Pizzala for Franco in the 84th minute. France's best chance came as the game entered the fourth minute of stoppage time. LeSommer sent the ball behind the Swedish defense to Thomis, but Lindahl dove out and beat the French striker to the ball before she could get a shot off.
Sweden was able to finish the match with a 2-1 victory. Interestingly enough, it was the third time that a red card has been shown in this tournament, and in each case, the team playing a man down came back to score a goal. France's Laura Georges scored after Sapowicz had been redcarded against Germany to cut the lead to 3-2 in what proved to be a losing effort. Abby Wambach scored the game-tying goal against Brazil in the quarterfinals after Rachel Buehler had been sent off. Hammarstrom scored the winning goal in this match after Oqvist had been sent off.
For Sweden, it was second time they have finished third at the World Cup, the first being in 1991. Their highest finish was their second place effort in the 2003 World Cup. The fourth place finish was the highest ever by France.
Showing posts with label Lotta Schelin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lotta Schelin. Show all posts
July 16, 2011
July 10, 2011
Sweden Gains Semifinals with 3-1 Win over Matildas
0
comments
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Australia, Ellyse Perry, Hedvig Lindahl, Lisa Dahlkvist, Lotta Schelin, Melissa Barbieri, Sweden, Therese Sjogran
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Australia, Ellyse Perry, Hedvig Lindahl, Lisa Dahlkvist, Lotta Schelin, Melissa Barbieri, Sweden, Therese Sjogran
Sweden scored two early goals and cruised to a 3-1 victory over Australia on Sunday. And it's fair to say that they were very opportunistic, taking advantage of every opening that their opponent gave them.
Miscues in the back once again cost Australia, a recurring theme over the past two weeks. Lotta Schelin pounced on one such opportunity and finally got her first goal of this World Cup.
Thomas Dennerby went with nearly the same eleven as the last match, except for the returning Caroline Seger who was back in the lineup after her suspension for yellow card accumulation. Tom Sermanni elected to move Caitlin Foord into a midfield position and inserted Ellyse Perry at right back.
Australia nearly handed Sweden a goal in the opening minutes. They played the ball back from the midfield to the back line with Kim Carroll getting there first. Carroll meekly hit the ball back toward Melissa Barbieri in goal, but didn't get anything on the pass and Lotta Schelin intercepted, but her first touch was a bit heavy and Barbieri came sliding out to cover it up.
Australia had their first chance with a Perry cross from the right side being sent into the box, with Charlotte Rohlin redirecting the ball wide with a header in the 7th minute.
Sweden opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Lotta Schelin beat Perry around the left side and dribbled toward the box along the endline. She sent a cross back toward the center, where veteran Therese Sjogran was waiting unmarked. Sjogran hit her 12 yard shot low inside the left post. Barbieri dived and might have gotten a hand on it, but it got through and Sweden were on top 1-0.
Just six minutes later, it was Sjogran in possession on the left wing. She cut back on Perry and hit a right-footed cross to a totally unmarked Lisa Dahlqvist at the six yard box, centered perfectly in front of the goal. Dahlkvist put her uncontested header into the right side of the net and Australia was down 2-0 just 16 minutes into the match.
Schelin almost had her first goal in the 26th minute, but her drive from a steep angle on the left side went high and wide to the right.
Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl made an adventure of a few plays today. In the 38th minute, Collette McCallum sent in a free kick from 35 yards that Lindahl appeared to misjudge, running up as the ball sailed over her head...and luckily for her, just wide of the right post.
But Perry, who had been somewhat victimized earlier in the match, gave the Matildas life in the 40th minute. McCallum played a short corner from the right side to Perry, who touched the ball toward the corner of the penalty area. Her left-footed shot from 22 yards couldn't have been more perfectly placed into the upper left corner of the goal, beating Lindahl and bringing Australia to within one. The halftime score was Sweden 2, Australia 1.
The Aussies looked dangerous to start the second half, as they tried to target the Swedish right side defense. However, a couple of half chances didn't quite come to fruitition and they were unable to tie the match.
Australia gift-wrapped a goal for the Swedes in the 52nd minute and once again, it was a defensive miscue that led to it. Carroll had possession near the center line and under some pressure, elected to play the ball back, apparently to Barbieri, although that is somewhat unclear. As it turned out, Carroll's pass hit Schelin perfectly in stride and she walked in alone on Barbieri. Schelin touched the ball to the right of Barbieri, while she went to the left. The two met behind the Australian keeper and it was just a matter of touching it into the goal. Schelin finally had her goal and Sweden had a safe two goal lead once again.
Tom Sermanni used his first two subs in the 58th minute, sending in Tameka Butt and Clare Polkinghorne for Perry and Emily Van Egmond.
Australia certainly did not give up and probably created more chances than Sweden in the last 45 minutes, but they just couldn't get back in the match. Butt, made her presence known in the 63rd minute, crossing the ball to the back post to Kyah Simon, but the striker put her header wide of the left post.
Lindahl once again made things interesting in the 66th minute as Lisa De Vanna broke into the left side of the penalty area. She tried to slide out, but the ball eluded her and De Vanna was able to get off an unmolested cross from the left side. Unfortunately for her, nobody was making a run to the goal and the ball harmlessly flew through to the other side and was cleared.
Sweden made their first change in the 67th minute sending in Nilla Fischer, who had had such a strong game against the US a few days ago, to replace Linda Forsberg.
The teams traded chances over the next 15 minutes. A Heather Garriock shot was partially blocked going right into the hands of Lindahl in the 71st minute. Later, Tameka Butt hit a blast from distance, with Lindahl tipping the ball wide just to be safe.
Meanwhile, Sweden had opportunities as well. Josefine Oqvist had back-to-back chances in the 78th minute, with her first shot being blocked by Barbieri and then her rebound shot was blocked by Servet Uzunlar. A minute later, Caroline Seger hit a shot from the right corner, which forced Barbieri to make a leaping save at the near post. She nearly lost her balance and reached backwards, holding the ball even with the goal line before bracing herself against the post and not allowing the ball to cross.
Sweden was able to play through the last few minutes without much pressure and they held on for the 3-1 victory, which by quarterfinal standards in this World Cup, was relatively easy. They have done a very good job of taking advantage of their opponents' mistakes in the last couple of games. Sweden appears to be on a roll right now and will now face Japan on Wednesday in the semifinals in what should be a very good matchup.
As for the Matildas, they must be given a lot of credit for a good run in this tournament. They are one of the younger squads at this World Cup and as they gain more experience and if they can address their defensive problems, should be a force to contend with in the future.
Miscues in the back once again cost Australia, a recurring theme over the past two weeks. Lotta Schelin pounced on one such opportunity and finally got her first goal of this World Cup.
Thomas Dennerby went with nearly the same eleven as the last match, except for the returning Caroline Seger who was back in the lineup after her suspension for yellow card accumulation. Tom Sermanni elected to move Caitlin Foord into a midfield position and inserted Ellyse Perry at right back.
Australia nearly handed Sweden a goal in the opening minutes. They played the ball back from the midfield to the back line with Kim Carroll getting there first. Carroll meekly hit the ball back toward Melissa Barbieri in goal, but didn't get anything on the pass and Lotta Schelin intercepted, but her first touch was a bit heavy and Barbieri came sliding out to cover it up.
Australia had their first chance with a Perry cross from the right side being sent into the box, with Charlotte Rohlin redirecting the ball wide with a header in the 7th minute.
Sweden opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Lotta Schelin beat Perry around the left side and dribbled toward the box along the endline. She sent a cross back toward the center, where veteran Therese Sjogran was waiting unmarked. Sjogran hit her 12 yard shot low inside the left post. Barbieri dived and might have gotten a hand on it, but it got through and Sweden were on top 1-0.
Just six minutes later, it was Sjogran in possession on the left wing. She cut back on Perry and hit a right-footed cross to a totally unmarked Lisa Dahlqvist at the six yard box, centered perfectly in front of the goal. Dahlkvist put her uncontested header into the right side of the net and Australia was down 2-0 just 16 minutes into the match.
Schelin almost had her first goal in the 26th minute, but her drive from a steep angle on the left side went high and wide to the right.
Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl made an adventure of a few plays today. In the 38th minute, Collette McCallum sent in a free kick from 35 yards that Lindahl appeared to misjudge, running up as the ball sailed over her head...and luckily for her, just wide of the right post.
But Perry, who had been somewhat victimized earlier in the match, gave the Matildas life in the 40th minute. McCallum played a short corner from the right side to Perry, who touched the ball toward the corner of the penalty area. Her left-footed shot from 22 yards couldn't have been more perfectly placed into the upper left corner of the goal, beating Lindahl and bringing Australia to within one. The halftime score was Sweden 2, Australia 1.
The Aussies looked dangerous to start the second half, as they tried to target the Swedish right side defense. However, a couple of half chances didn't quite come to fruitition and they were unable to tie the match.
Australia gift-wrapped a goal for the Swedes in the 52nd minute and once again, it was a defensive miscue that led to it. Carroll had possession near the center line and under some pressure, elected to play the ball back, apparently to Barbieri, although that is somewhat unclear. As it turned out, Carroll's pass hit Schelin perfectly in stride and she walked in alone on Barbieri. Schelin touched the ball to the right of Barbieri, while she went to the left. The two met behind the Australian keeper and it was just a matter of touching it into the goal. Schelin finally had her goal and Sweden had a safe two goal lead once again.
Tom Sermanni used his first two subs in the 58th minute, sending in Tameka Butt and Clare Polkinghorne for Perry and Emily Van Egmond.
Australia certainly did not give up and probably created more chances than Sweden in the last 45 minutes, but they just couldn't get back in the match. Butt, made her presence known in the 63rd minute, crossing the ball to the back post to Kyah Simon, but the striker put her header wide of the left post.
Lindahl once again made things interesting in the 66th minute as Lisa De Vanna broke into the left side of the penalty area. She tried to slide out, but the ball eluded her and De Vanna was able to get off an unmolested cross from the left side. Unfortunately for her, nobody was making a run to the goal and the ball harmlessly flew through to the other side and was cleared.
Sweden made their first change in the 67th minute sending in Nilla Fischer, who had had such a strong game against the US a few days ago, to replace Linda Forsberg.
The teams traded chances over the next 15 minutes. A Heather Garriock shot was partially blocked going right into the hands of Lindahl in the 71st minute. Later, Tameka Butt hit a blast from distance, with Lindahl tipping the ball wide just to be safe.
Meanwhile, Sweden had opportunities as well. Josefine Oqvist had back-to-back chances in the 78th minute, with her first shot being blocked by Barbieri and then her rebound shot was blocked by Servet Uzunlar. A minute later, Caroline Seger hit a shot from the right corner, which forced Barbieri to make a leaping save at the near post. She nearly lost her balance and reached backwards, holding the ball even with the goal line before bracing herself against the post and not allowing the ball to cross.
Sweden was able to play through the last few minutes without much pressure and they held on for the 3-1 victory, which by quarterfinal standards in this World Cup, was relatively easy. They have done a very good job of taking advantage of their opponents' mistakes in the last couple of games. Sweden appears to be on a roll right now and will now face Japan on Wednesday in the semifinals in what should be a very good matchup.
As for the Matildas, they must be given a lot of credit for a good run in this tournament. They are one of the younger squads at this World Cup and as they gain more experience and if they can address their defensive problems, should be a force to contend with in the future.
July 6, 2011
Sweden 2, United States 1
1 comments
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Hedvig Lindahl, Hope Solo, Lauren Cheney, Lisa Dahlqvist, Lotta Schelin, Nilla Fischer, Sweden, USWNT
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Hedvig Lindahl, Hope Solo, Lauren Cheney, Lisa Dahlqvist, Lotta Schelin, Nilla Fischer, Sweden, USWNT
Sweden scored first half goals on a penalty kick and a free kick to defeat the United States by a 2-1 margin. They played their best match of the tournament so far and the victory earns them first place in Group C. The United States have to settle for second place in Group C, losing their first group stage match ever.
Both teams had a key player out of the lineup. Caroline Seger did not play because of yellow card accumulation, while Heather O'Reilly was forced to sit out because of an injured groin. US striker Abby Wambach did start in spite of her Achilles heel injury.
For the opening six minutes of the match, it looked like the United States were going to take the initiative. Play was almost entirely in Sweden's end, but the US produced only one scoring chance, a shot from 16 yards from Lauren Cheney which was handled easily by Hedvig Lindahl.
However, as the match settled into a rhythm, Sweden took control and had the better of play, as the United States seemed quite out of sync at times.
Sweden had the first great scoring opportunity on the first of many US mistakes on the day. Lindahl's goal kick in the 7th minute was mistakenly headed backwards by midfielder Carli Lloyd and it became quite a good through ball for Lotta Schelin. Schelin dribbled to the penalty spot and released her shot, but Hope Solo made a great kick save to keep Sweden off the board.
The United States had another chance in the 13th minute as the they worked the ball to Amy Rodriguez 25 yards out. She touched a nice pass to Wambach, who was cutting to her left, but her low shot went right to Lindahl.
Disaster struck the United States in the 14th minute. A harmless Lisa Dahlqvist shot from 30 yards was slowed by a deflection off of US defender Christie Rampone. Schelin seized on the opportunity gathering the ball at the 18 and was pulled down by Amy LePeilbet just inside the penalty area. Sweden was correctly awarded a penalty kick and LePeilbet received a yellow card for her challenge.
Dahlqvist stepped up to take the penalty. She went left with her shot and it had to be perfect, because Solo guessed correctly and just missed getting her fingertips on the ball. Sweden led 1-0.
The US almost equalized in the 20th minute. Abby Wambach was able to touch the ball over to Lauren Cheney who had a clear chance from 16 yards. Her blast had Lindahl beat, but flew just wide of the left post. Another Cheney shot from 18 yards dipped just over the crossbar a minute later.
The United States came close again in the 32nd minute as Rodriguez was able to fend off Charlotte Rohlin and chip the ball over the head of Lindahl, but the Swedish goalkeeper had to feel quite relieved as the ball hit the top of the crossbar and went barely over.
The US couldn't have been much more unlucky in the 35th minute, although a bit of sloppy play in back led to the bad luck. Rachel Buehler seemed to be perfectly positioned to intercept a long ball out of the Swedish back, but the ball skipped by her and she then fouled Schelin in the process of trying to get the ball back.
Once again, a deflection on a harmless shot was the culprit. Nilla Fischer's free kick from 28 yards was well struck, but should have been no trouble at all, with Solo moving over to cover the post in case the ball might be on target. Instead, the ball struck LePeilbet and deflected well behind the American keeper into the left side of the net. Two shots from distance, two deflections off American defenders, one setting up a Swedish goal and one directly resulting in a Swedish goal.
Carli Lloyd nearly poked the ball into the net on a Rampone free kick in the 41st minute, but Lindahl made a nice save in traffic to keep the ball in front of her and out of the net.
The half ended with Sweden holding a 2-0 edge. They had played their best half of soccer in the tournament and they clearly had the edge in play in the first half. They also hadn't made near the mistakes that the Americans had. Yet the US had several opportunities and just didn't cash in. However, the United States had too often settled for hopeless long attempts when other options might have been better.
Nilla Fischer tried to make it three in the 57th minute, but her shot from 20 yards went wide of the right post. Josefine Oqvist crossed the ball into the box a minute later, but no one from Sweden was running at the back post and the ball rolled harmlessly through the box.
The United States finally scored in the 67th minute. Cheney took the corner kick from the right side and hit it to the far post. Wambach leaped above everyone and managed to get the top of her shoulder on the ball and it snuck just inside the left post to cut the lead in half.
Meanwhile, Sweden had one chance for Schelin called back on what appeared to be an errant offsides call.
The United States continued to pressure over the last 25 minutes, but could never get the tying goal. Their best chance came in the 86th minute when Cheney beat defender Annica Svensson on the left side and crossed the ball to the middle. Kelley O'Hara's wide open volley went wide of the right post from 14 yards out.
Nilla Fischer had an outstanding game for Sweden, while Schelin and Oqvist gave American defenders problems throughout. Sweden effectively sealed off any threats on their left flank from becoming dangerous, particularly late in the match. Lindahl was solid overall, but a bit fortunate that the United States could not find the goal for much of the match.
For the United States, Ali Krieger continues to impress at right back, while Lauren Cheney continues to be an offensive threat for the US. The United States obviously missed Heather O'Reilly's speed up the right side.
Sweden comes out of Group C play unbeaten and will face Australia on Sunday. The loss for the United States sets up a heavyweight contest between the US and Brazil on Sunday, a rematch of the 2008 Olympic final and the 2007 World Cup semifinal.
While some may call this an upset, it is certainly not a surprise. Sweden had beaten the United States by the identical score in January and the two teams play close matches nearly every time they meet. Sweden were on their game in the first half and their speed gave the US back line trouble, something that the United States will have to rectify before Sunday's match with Brazil.
Perhaps the biggest winner here is Germany for now they know they will at most have to face only one team between the United States and Brazil in the tournament, and then not until the final.
The bracket sets up like this:
Germany vs. Japan
Sweden vs. Australia
England vs. France
Brazil vs. United States
Both teams had a key player out of the lineup. Caroline Seger did not play because of yellow card accumulation, while Heather O'Reilly was forced to sit out because of an injured groin. US striker Abby Wambach did start in spite of her Achilles heel injury.
For the opening six minutes of the match, it looked like the United States were going to take the initiative. Play was almost entirely in Sweden's end, but the US produced only one scoring chance, a shot from 16 yards from Lauren Cheney which was handled easily by Hedvig Lindahl.
However, as the match settled into a rhythm, Sweden took control and had the better of play, as the United States seemed quite out of sync at times.
Sweden had the first great scoring opportunity on the first of many US mistakes on the day. Lindahl's goal kick in the 7th minute was mistakenly headed backwards by midfielder Carli Lloyd and it became quite a good through ball for Lotta Schelin. Schelin dribbled to the penalty spot and released her shot, but Hope Solo made a great kick save to keep Sweden off the board.
The United States had another chance in the 13th minute as the they worked the ball to Amy Rodriguez 25 yards out. She touched a nice pass to Wambach, who was cutting to her left, but her low shot went right to Lindahl.
Disaster struck the United States in the 14th minute. A harmless Lisa Dahlqvist shot from 30 yards was slowed by a deflection off of US defender Christie Rampone. Schelin seized on the opportunity gathering the ball at the 18 and was pulled down by Amy LePeilbet just inside the penalty area. Sweden was correctly awarded a penalty kick and LePeilbet received a yellow card for her challenge.
Dahlqvist stepped up to take the penalty. She went left with her shot and it had to be perfect, because Solo guessed correctly and just missed getting her fingertips on the ball. Sweden led 1-0.
The US almost equalized in the 20th minute. Abby Wambach was able to touch the ball over to Lauren Cheney who had a clear chance from 16 yards. Her blast had Lindahl beat, but flew just wide of the left post. Another Cheney shot from 18 yards dipped just over the crossbar a minute later.
The United States came close again in the 32nd minute as Rodriguez was able to fend off Charlotte Rohlin and chip the ball over the head of Lindahl, but the Swedish goalkeeper had to feel quite relieved as the ball hit the top of the crossbar and went barely over.
The US couldn't have been much more unlucky in the 35th minute, although a bit of sloppy play in back led to the bad luck. Rachel Buehler seemed to be perfectly positioned to intercept a long ball out of the Swedish back, but the ball skipped by her and she then fouled Schelin in the process of trying to get the ball back.
Once again, a deflection on a harmless shot was the culprit. Nilla Fischer's free kick from 28 yards was well struck, but should have been no trouble at all, with Solo moving over to cover the post in case the ball might be on target. Instead, the ball struck LePeilbet and deflected well behind the American keeper into the left side of the net. Two shots from distance, two deflections off American defenders, one setting up a Swedish goal and one directly resulting in a Swedish goal.
Carli Lloyd nearly poked the ball into the net on a Rampone free kick in the 41st minute, but Lindahl made a nice save in traffic to keep the ball in front of her and out of the net.
The half ended with Sweden holding a 2-0 edge. They had played their best half of soccer in the tournament and they clearly had the edge in play in the first half. They also hadn't made near the mistakes that the Americans had. Yet the US had several opportunities and just didn't cash in. However, the United States had too often settled for hopeless long attempts when other options might have been better.
Nilla Fischer tried to make it three in the 57th minute, but her shot from 20 yards went wide of the right post. Josefine Oqvist crossed the ball into the box a minute later, but no one from Sweden was running at the back post and the ball rolled harmlessly through the box.
The United States finally scored in the 67th minute. Cheney took the corner kick from the right side and hit it to the far post. Wambach leaped above everyone and managed to get the top of her shoulder on the ball and it snuck just inside the left post to cut the lead in half.
Meanwhile, Sweden had one chance for Schelin called back on what appeared to be an errant offsides call.
The United States continued to pressure over the last 25 minutes, but could never get the tying goal. Their best chance came in the 86th minute when Cheney beat defender Annica Svensson on the left side and crossed the ball to the middle. Kelley O'Hara's wide open volley went wide of the right post from 14 yards out.
Nilla Fischer had an outstanding game for Sweden, while Schelin and Oqvist gave American defenders problems throughout. Sweden effectively sealed off any threats on their left flank from becoming dangerous, particularly late in the match. Lindahl was solid overall, but a bit fortunate that the United States could not find the goal for much of the match.
For the United States, Ali Krieger continues to impress at right back, while Lauren Cheney continues to be an offensive threat for the US. The United States obviously missed Heather O'Reilly's speed up the right side.
Sweden comes out of Group C play unbeaten and will face Australia on Sunday. The loss for the United States sets up a heavyweight contest between the US and Brazil on Sunday, a rematch of the 2008 Olympic final and the 2007 World Cup semifinal.
While some may call this an upset, it is certainly not a surprise. Sweden had beaten the United States by the identical score in January and the two teams play close matches nearly every time they meet. Sweden were on their game in the first half and their speed gave the US back line trouble, something that the United States will have to rectify before Sunday's match with Brazil.
Perhaps the biggest winner here is Germany for now they know they will at most have to face only one team between the United States and Brazil in the tournament, and then not until the final.
The bracket sets up like this:
Germany vs. Japan
Sweden vs. Australia
England vs. France
Brazil vs. United States
July 2, 2011
Sweden 1, Korea DPR 0
0
comments
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Caroline Seger, Hong Myong Hui, Kim Su Gyong, Korea DPR, Lisa Dahlkvist, Lotta Schelin, Ri Un Hyang, Ri Ye Gyong, Sara Thunebro, Sweden
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Caroline Seger, Hong Myong Hui, Kim Su Gyong, Korea DPR, Lisa Dahlkvist, Lotta Schelin, Ri Un Hyang, Ri Ye Gyong, Sara Thunebro, Sweden
In almost a carbon copy of the first match for Sweden, they defeated Korea DPR 1-0, putting themselves in good position to advance to the quarterfinals. A tie or win by the United States will clinch a quarterfinal berth for Sweden.
Once again, Sweden had trouble putting away their chances. Once again, they were not dominant. And once again, they were able to get a second half goal to win the match. Korea, while they did well with possession at stretches throughout the match, really had very few threatening chances.
Like Tuesday, Sweden had an early chance to jump out on top. Lotta Schelin was open on the left side of the box, running onto a long ball out of the back, but her shot went just high and just wide left from 15 yards away. Like Jessica Landstrom in the match against Colombia, Schelin has a frustrating first half, missing out on golden opportunities.
There were few Korean chances in the opening 45 minutes and then from distance, like Kim Su Gyong's attempt from 28 yards in the sixth minute that went harmlessly wide. Their best chance of the first half was a cross from Song Jong Sun from the right side in the 19th minute. Kim was able to get a cleaner header on it, but the shot went well wide of the right post.
In the 30th minute, Caroline Seger sent Schelin in on the right side of the box, but Schelin did not get over the ball properly and her shot sailed high and wide to the right. Sweden's last chance of the half was Jessica Landstrom's attempt from 25 yards that sailed over the crossbar in the 42nd minute.
Sweden continued to press in the second half. Schelin sent the ball to Lisa Dahlqvist in the box, but Hong Myong Hui came out to deflect the ball wide. Five minutes later, a corner kick resulted in a scramble in the box after Hong was unable to get to the ball. Dahlqvist's shot from 15 yards was blocked by the defense and the ball was cleared.
Seger picked up a yellow card in the 59th minute, which was about the last thing Sweden needed. It was her second yellow of the tournament and she will now be forced to miss the upcoming match against the United States.
Swedish pressure finally paid off in the 64th minute. The Swedes reversed the ball from the right to the left with the ball coming to the feet of Linda Forsberg. She hit a right-footed inswinging cross to the far post. Therese Sjogran headed the ball back to the middle to an unmarked Dahlkvist, who blasted the ball into the net from only four yards out.
Korea's best chances seemed to come off of corner kicks, in spite of Sweden's height. In the 73rd minute, a Korean corner came into the six yard box. Both Ri Ye Gyong and Ri Un Hyang went up for the header, with it appearing that Ri U. H. making contact. The ball was headed toward the net, but Sara Thunebro was waiting on the line to clear it with her head.
In the 75th minute, Seger forced a turnover and sent the ball down the middle to Schelin. This time Schelin forced Hong to make a diving save on her low shot from 15 yards.
Korea tried to get an equalizer in the 80th minute as Ri Ye Gyong placed a cross into the box from the right side, but Lindahl anticipated nicely and grabbed the ball in front of Ra Un Sim.
Sweden was able to keep Korea from getting the ball up the field for most of the last ten minutes as time ticked away on the Koreans. It wasn't necessarily pretty, but Sweden had once again gotten the job done. Hedvig Lindahl earned the shutout for Sweden and Thunebro saved the day off the line late in the match. Meanwhile, Swedish forwards continued to struggle with their finishing touch.
The upside is Sweden will almost surely go through to the quarterfinals. The bad news is that Seger will miss the match against the United States, which could be very important for placement into the quarters.
Sweden will meet the United States on Wednesday, while Korea DPR, who are now virtually eliminated will meet Colombia.
Once again, Sweden had trouble putting away their chances. Once again, they were not dominant. And once again, they were able to get a second half goal to win the match. Korea, while they did well with possession at stretches throughout the match, really had very few threatening chances.
Like Tuesday, Sweden had an early chance to jump out on top. Lotta Schelin was open on the left side of the box, running onto a long ball out of the back, but her shot went just high and just wide left from 15 yards away. Like Jessica Landstrom in the match against Colombia, Schelin has a frustrating first half, missing out on golden opportunities.
There were few Korean chances in the opening 45 minutes and then from distance, like Kim Su Gyong's attempt from 28 yards in the sixth minute that went harmlessly wide. Their best chance of the first half was a cross from Song Jong Sun from the right side in the 19th minute. Kim was able to get a cleaner header on it, but the shot went well wide of the right post.
In the 30th minute, Caroline Seger sent Schelin in on the right side of the box, but Schelin did not get over the ball properly and her shot sailed high and wide to the right. Sweden's last chance of the half was Jessica Landstrom's attempt from 25 yards that sailed over the crossbar in the 42nd minute.
Sweden continued to press in the second half. Schelin sent the ball to Lisa Dahlqvist in the box, but Hong Myong Hui came out to deflect the ball wide. Five minutes later, a corner kick resulted in a scramble in the box after Hong was unable to get to the ball. Dahlqvist's shot from 15 yards was blocked by the defense and the ball was cleared.
Seger picked up a yellow card in the 59th minute, which was about the last thing Sweden needed. It was her second yellow of the tournament and she will now be forced to miss the upcoming match against the United States.
Swedish pressure finally paid off in the 64th minute. The Swedes reversed the ball from the right to the left with the ball coming to the feet of Linda Forsberg. She hit a right-footed inswinging cross to the far post. Therese Sjogran headed the ball back to the middle to an unmarked Dahlkvist, who blasted the ball into the net from only four yards out.
Korea's best chances seemed to come off of corner kicks, in spite of Sweden's height. In the 73rd minute, a Korean corner came into the six yard box. Both Ri Ye Gyong and Ri Un Hyang went up for the header, with it appearing that Ri U. H. making contact. The ball was headed toward the net, but Sara Thunebro was waiting on the line to clear it with her head.
In the 75th minute, Seger forced a turnover and sent the ball down the middle to Schelin. This time Schelin forced Hong to make a diving save on her low shot from 15 yards.
Korea tried to get an equalizer in the 80th minute as Ri Ye Gyong placed a cross into the box from the right side, but Lindahl anticipated nicely and grabbed the ball in front of Ra Un Sim.
Sweden was able to keep Korea from getting the ball up the field for most of the last ten minutes as time ticked away on the Koreans. It wasn't necessarily pretty, but Sweden had once again gotten the job done. Hedvig Lindahl earned the shutout for Sweden and Thunebro saved the day off the line late in the match. Meanwhile, Swedish forwards continued to struggle with their finishing touch.
The upside is Sweden will almost surely go through to the quarterfinals. The bad news is that Seger will miss the match against the United States, which could be very important for placement into the quarters.
Sweden will meet the United States on Wednesday, while Korea DPR, who are now virtually eliminated will meet Colombia.
June 28, 2011
Sweden 1, Colombia 0
0
comments
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Carmen Rodallega, Colombia, Hedvig Lindahl, Jessica Landstrom, Lotta Schelin, Natalia Gaitan, Sandra Sepulveda, Sweden
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Carmen Rodallega, Colombia, Hedvig Lindahl, Jessica Landstrom, Lotta Schelin, Natalia Gaitan, Sandra Sepulveda, Sweden
Sweden opened their quest for the 2011 World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Colombia in Group C action on Tuesday. It was convincing performance by the Swedes on the field, if not on the scoreboard.
Sweden had multiple scoring opportunities in the opening minutes against the young Colombian team. Lotta Schelin got in on the keeper in the 3rd minute and slid the ball by Sandra Sepulveda, but Natalia Gaitan was there to clear it off the line for Colombia. In the 10th minute, Sepulveda did get a good piece of Schelin's shot from 12 yards, but the ball rolled behind her only to be saved and cleared by the combination of Gaitan and Andrea Peralta.
Perhaps the best opportunity came two minutes later as Lotta Schelin was able to touch the ball across to Jessica Landstrom just outside the six yard box. Landstrom promptly skied the ball over the net, for what should have been a sure goal. Colombia had managed to survive the opening onslaught by the Swedes with the game still tied.
Then the game seemed to settle in for a bit. Midfielder Caroline Seger earned a yellow card in the 29th minute. Sweden was clearly the bigger and far more physical side, outfouling Colombia by a 17-4 margin for the match.
Sweden had one more good opportunity in the 35th minute as Landstrom nearly sent Schelin through on goal, but Sepulveda anticipated nicely and came out to clear before the Swedish striker could get to it.
The second half started much the same, with Sweden again missing a golden opportunity. Schelin was able to touch the ball around Sepulveda at the 18, but her shot from the left side of the penalty area rolled just wide of the right post. A few minutes later, Landstrom tried to chip Sepulveda, but the ball went well over the net.
Finally, in the 57th minute, Schelin was able to make a run from the right side, drive to the end line and cross to Landstrom, who this time slid the ball low and into the net to give Sweden a 1-0 lead.
Carmen Rodallega gave Colombia some hope in the 66th minute, but her shot went over the bar and it appeared that goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl had it covered in any case. Rodallega was the most dangerous player for Colombia most of the day, making nice runs up the left side and menacing the Swedish right flank at times.
Sweden continued to attack. Therese Sjogran bent one just outside the upper right corner in the 78th minute. Two minutes later, a Sofia Jakobsson shot heading inside the left post was parried away by Sepulveda.
Colombia had one last chance in the 92nd minute, but Rodallega's shot went just over the bar and any dreams of a draw went out the window. Lindahl earned the shutout and Sweden took the three points.
While they won the match, Sweden had to be a bit disappointed with the result in a game they dominated. In a group where goal differential could make or break a quarterfinal bid, they are just a +1.
Colombia might have been a bit lucky at times, but they did manage to hang in there in their first ever appearance in the World Cup against a very tough Swedish team. Perhaps their biggest disappointment is that Yoreli Rincon really didn't get much chance to get into the offense, often dropping deep into her own half of the field to defend.
Sweden will now play Korea DPR on Saturday in a very important match that could well determine a quarterfinal berth. After facing a physical Swedish side today, Colombia gets to face an equally physical United States on Saturday.
Sweden had multiple scoring opportunities in the opening minutes against the young Colombian team. Lotta Schelin got in on the keeper in the 3rd minute and slid the ball by Sandra Sepulveda, but Natalia Gaitan was there to clear it off the line for Colombia. In the 10th minute, Sepulveda did get a good piece of Schelin's shot from 12 yards, but the ball rolled behind her only to be saved and cleared by the combination of Gaitan and Andrea Peralta.
Perhaps the best opportunity came two minutes later as Lotta Schelin was able to touch the ball across to Jessica Landstrom just outside the six yard box. Landstrom promptly skied the ball over the net, for what should have been a sure goal. Colombia had managed to survive the opening onslaught by the Swedes with the game still tied.
Then the game seemed to settle in for a bit. Midfielder Caroline Seger earned a yellow card in the 29th minute. Sweden was clearly the bigger and far more physical side, outfouling Colombia by a 17-4 margin for the match.
Sweden had one more good opportunity in the 35th minute as Landstrom nearly sent Schelin through on goal, but Sepulveda anticipated nicely and came out to clear before the Swedish striker could get to it.
The second half started much the same, with Sweden again missing a golden opportunity. Schelin was able to touch the ball around Sepulveda at the 18, but her shot from the left side of the penalty area rolled just wide of the right post. A few minutes later, Landstrom tried to chip Sepulveda, but the ball went well over the net.
Finally, in the 57th minute, Schelin was able to make a run from the right side, drive to the end line and cross to Landstrom, who this time slid the ball low and into the net to give Sweden a 1-0 lead.
Carmen Rodallega gave Colombia some hope in the 66th minute, but her shot went over the bar and it appeared that goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl had it covered in any case. Rodallega was the most dangerous player for Colombia most of the day, making nice runs up the left side and menacing the Swedish right flank at times.
Sweden continued to attack. Therese Sjogran bent one just outside the upper right corner in the 78th minute. Two minutes later, a Sofia Jakobsson shot heading inside the left post was parried away by Sepulveda.
Colombia had one last chance in the 92nd minute, but Rodallega's shot went just over the bar and any dreams of a draw went out the window. Lindahl earned the shutout and Sweden took the three points.
While they won the match, Sweden had to be a bit disappointed with the result in a game they dominated. In a group where goal differential could make or break a quarterfinal bid, they are just a +1.
Colombia might have been a bit lucky at times, but they did manage to hang in there in their first ever appearance in the World Cup against a very tough Swedish team. Perhaps their biggest disappointment is that Yoreli Rincon really didn't get much chance to get into the offense, often dropping deep into her own half of the field to defend.
Sweden will now play Korea DPR on Saturday in a very important match that could well determine a quarterfinal berth. After facing a physical Swedish side today, Colombia gets to face an equally physical United States on Saturday.
June 23, 2011
Group C Preview: Sweden
0
comments
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Charlotte Rohlin, Hedvig Lindahl, Josefine Oqvist, Lotta Schelin, Sara Larsson, Sara Thunebro, Sweden, Therese Sjogran
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Charlotte Rohlin, Hedvig Lindahl, Josefine Oqvist, Lotta Schelin, Sara Larsson, Sara Thunebro, Sweden, Therese Sjogran
Sweden (#5)
Region: UEFA
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
How They Qualified: Won UEFA Group Stage, then defeated Denmark in playoff.
Prior Cups:
2007: Group Stage
2003: 2nd Place
1999: Lost in Quarterfinals
1995: Lost in Quarterfinals
1991: 3rd Place
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (12) K. Hammerstrom, Lindahl, Lundgren, Larsson, Rohlin, Thunebro, Fischer, Seger, Sjogran, Forsberg, Edlund, Schelin.
Roster (Average Age: 27.33)
Recent Matches:
Sweden has appeared in every Women’s World Cup, finishing as high as second place in 2003, when they lost to Germany by a 2-1 score in the final. In 2007, they failed to get out of the group stage in spite of a 1-1-1 record, the only time that has happened in their history. They return 12 players from 2007.
The soccer gods have deemed it so that Sweden be grouped with the United States and North Korea for the third consecutive World Cup. Sweden plays the United States frequently. Both teams are usually at the Algarve Cup and earlier this year, they were both at the Four Nations, where Sweden won 2-1. And like the United States, Sweden will field a veteran team in Germany, the second oldest to their Group C opponent.
It has been a rollercoaster year for Sweden. Their victory over the US at the Four Nations was followed by defeats to Canada and China. They lost to both Iceland and Japan at the Algarve Cup. They recently lost a friendly to England. Their record for the year stands at just 5-5-1. They had to go into extra time to defeat Denmark in order to qualify for the World Cup. If there is one thing Sweden has been over the past year, it is consistently inconsistent.
On the player front, Sweden lost defensive starter Stina Segerstrom to injury. Another defender, Sara Larsson, has been bothered by injuries as well, but she did appear in the team’s last two friendlies.
One never knows quite what to expect from Sweden, a team that always appears on the doorstep of breaking through, but never quite seem to get there. Sweden is currently ranked fifth, but have been as high as third during stretches of 2007-08.
Veteran midfielder Therese Sjogran is the all-time leader in caps for Sweden. This will be her third World Cup. Sjogran and fellow midfielder Caroline Seger form the heart of this Swedish team. Both are familiar to American fans from their WPS play.
As far as scoring goes, Sweden’s two biggest scorers over the past year have been Lotta Schelin and Josefine Oqvist. Schelin, who plays for Lyon, is considered one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the world. She will challenge defenses with her size, speed, and well-timed runs.
After a long scoring drought, Oqvist scored a hat trick against Wales in qualifying and followed that up with goals against China, Iceland, and Denmark in 2011. Jessica Landstrom, who scored six goals in Sweden’s qualifying group stage, has cooled off considerably, although she did score a pair of goals against Denmark earlier this year.
Sweden has a veteran back line with Charlotte Rohlin, Sara Thunebro, and Larsson. They will miss Segerstrom’s presence in back, but they are still a solid group. Hedvig Lindahl is Sweden’s top goalkeeper and was their starter for all three matches in China four years ago.
Most of Sweden’s players are in their late 20’s or early 30’s. This has to be the time for them to shine on the world’s stage. If they don’t, one would suspect a large turnover on the roster before Canada 2015. The group stage will not be easy with the United States and North Korea. They can ill-afford to give up many goals in this competition, so Lindahl and her defense will need to be at their best. Is this the year Sweden finally goes to the top?
Note: Some information for this article was obtained from www.fifa.com and www.svenskfotboll.se.
Region: UEFA
Coach: Thomas Dennerby
How They Qualified: Won UEFA Group Stage, then defeated Denmark in playoff.
Prior Cups:
2007: Group Stage
2003: 2nd Place
1999: Lost in Quarterfinals
1995: Lost in Quarterfinals
1991: 3rd Place
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (12) K. Hammerstrom, Lindahl, Lundgren, Larsson, Rohlin, Thunebro, Fischer, Seger, Sjogran, Forsberg, Edlund, Schelin.
Roster (Average Age: 27.33)
| Name | Pos | Club | Age | Caps/Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kristin Hammarstrom | GK | Kopparberg/Goteborg | 29 | 12/0 |
| Hedvig Lindahl | GK | Kristianstad DFF | 28 | 69/0 |
| Sofia Lundgren | GK | Linkoping FC | 28 | 23/0 |
| Sara Larsson | DF | Orebro DFF | 32 | 102/8 |
| Lina Nilsson | DF | LdB FC Malmo | 24 | 26/0 |
| Charlotte Rohlin | DF | Linkoping FC | 31 | 44/6 |
| Linda Sembrant | DF | Kopparberg/Goteborg | 24 | 22/1 |
| Annica Svensson | DF | Tyreso | 28 | 12/0 |
| Sara Thunebro | DF | FFC Frankfurt | 32 | 72/3 |
| Lisa Dahlkvist | MF | Kopparberg/Goteborg | 24 | 35/3 |
| Nilla Fischer | MF | LdB FC Malmo | 26 | 70/10 |
| Linda Forsberg | MF | LdB FC Malmo | 26 | 25/4 |
| Antonia Goransson | MF | Hamburger SV | 20 | 9/0 |
| Marie Hammarstrom | MF | Orebro DFF | 29 | 9/0 |
| Sofia Jakobsson | MF | Umea IK | 21 | 1/0 |
| Caroline Seger | MF | WNY Flash | 26 | 78/12 |
| Therese Sjogran | MF | Sky Blue FC | 34 | 168/17 |
| Madelaine Edlund | FW | Tyreso | 25 | 19/1 |
| Jessica Landstrom | FW | FFC Frankfurt | 26 | 50/16 |
| Josefine Oqvist | FW | Tyreso | 27 | 64/17 |
| Lotta Schelin | FW | FCF Lyon | 27 | 88/37 |
Recent Matches:
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/23/11 | Japan | Friendly | T 1-1 |
| 6/16/11 | Mexico | Friendly | W 2-0 |
| 5/17/11 | England | Friendly | L 0-2 |
| 4/2/11 | Canada | Friendly | W 1-0 |
| 3/9/11 | Japan | Algarve | L 1-2 |
| 3/7/11 | China | Algarve | W 1-0 |
| 3/4/11 | Denmark | Algarve | W 3-1 |
| 3/2/11 | Iceland | Algarve | L 1-2 |
| 1/25/11 | Canada | Four Nations | L 0-1 |
| 1/23/11 | China | Four Nations | L 1-2 |
| 1/21/11 | United States | Four Nations | W 2-1 |
| 10/26/10 | Norway | Friendly | W 3-1 |
| 9/16/10 | Denmark | UEFA Playoff | T 2-2(a.e.t) |
| 9/11/10 | Denmark | UEFA Playoff | W 2-1 |
| 8/25/10 | Wales | UEFA WC Qualifier | W 5-1 |
| 8/21/10 | Czech Republic | UEFA WC Qualifier | W 1-0 |
| 7/17/10 | United States | Friendly | L 0-3 |
| 7/13/10 | United States | Friendly | T 1-1 |
| 6/23/10 | Azerbaijan | UEFA WC Qualifier | W 17-0 |
| 6/19/10 | Czech Republic | UEFA WC Qualifier | T 0-0 |
Sweden has appeared in every Women’s World Cup, finishing as high as second place in 2003, when they lost to Germany by a 2-1 score in the final. In 2007, they failed to get out of the group stage in spite of a 1-1-1 record, the only time that has happened in their history. They return 12 players from 2007.
The soccer gods have deemed it so that Sweden be grouped with the United States and North Korea for the third consecutive World Cup. Sweden plays the United States frequently. Both teams are usually at the Algarve Cup and earlier this year, they were both at the Four Nations, where Sweden won 2-1. And like the United States, Sweden will field a veteran team in Germany, the second oldest to their Group C opponent.
It has been a rollercoaster year for Sweden. Their victory over the US at the Four Nations was followed by defeats to Canada and China. They lost to both Iceland and Japan at the Algarve Cup. They recently lost a friendly to England. Their record for the year stands at just 5-5-1. They had to go into extra time to defeat Denmark in order to qualify for the World Cup. If there is one thing Sweden has been over the past year, it is consistently inconsistent.
On the player front, Sweden lost defensive starter Stina Segerstrom to injury. Another defender, Sara Larsson, has been bothered by injuries as well, but she did appear in the team’s last two friendlies.
One never knows quite what to expect from Sweden, a team that always appears on the doorstep of breaking through, but never quite seem to get there. Sweden is currently ranked fifth, but have been as high as third during stretches of 2007-08.
Veteran midfielder Therese Sjogran is the all-time leader in caps for Sweden. This will be her third World Cup. Sjogran and fellow midfielder Caroline Seger form the heart of this Swedish team. Both are familiar to American fans from their WPS play.
As far as scoring goes, Sweden’s two biggest scorers over the past year have been Lotta Schelin and Josefine Oqvist. Schelin, who plays for Lyon, is considered one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the world. She will challenge defenses with her size, speed, and well-timed runs.
After a long scoring drought, Oqvist scored a hat trick against Wales in qualifying and followed that up with goals against China, Iceland, and Denmark in 2011. Jessica Landstrom, who scored six goals in Sweden’s qualifying group stage, has cooled off considerably, although she did score a pair of goals against Denmark earlier this year.
Sweden has a veteran back line with Charlotte Rohlin, Sara Thunebro, and Larsson. They will miss Segerstrom’s presence in back, but they are still a solid group. Hedvig Lindahl is Sweden’s top goalkeeper and was their starter for all three matches in China four years ago.
Most of Sweden’s players are in their late 20’s or early 30’s. This has to be the time for them to shine on the world’s stage. If they don’t, one would suspect a large turnover on the roster before Canada 2015. The group stage will not be easy with the United States and North Korea. They can ill-afford to give up many goals in this competition, so Lindahl and her defense will need to be at their best. Is this the year Sweden finally goes to the top?
Note: Some information for this article was obtained from www.fifa.com and www.svenskfotboll.se.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Search
Welcome
