Preview: Slovakia vs Sweden – prediction, workforce information, lineups

Tied atop League C Group 1, Slovakia and Sweden will proceed their battle for computerized promotion within the UEFA Nations League on Friday evening, once they lock horns in Bratislava.

Each groups received their first two matches final month, so a straight combat to complete first may happen between now and November.

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Match preview

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As the brand new Nations League marketing campaign kicked off in early September, Slovakia returned to motion for the primary time since dramatically bowing out of Euro 2024, the place they misplaced to eventual finalists England within the final 16.

En path to the knockout section, the Falcons had crushed Belgium and drawn with Romania, so that they nonetheless took some optimistic momentum into final month’s video games in opposition to extra modest opposition.

Their quest to earn promotion to League B began with a hard-fought victory over Estonia in Tallinn, with Hellas Verona ahead Tomas Suslov scoring the sport’s solely objective throughout the second half.

That was swiftly adopted by a 2-0 defeat of Azerbaijan in Kosice, the place one other Verona participant, Ondrej Duda, transformed a penalty earlier than David Strelec successfully wrapped up the factors with Slovakia’s second.

Having did not mount a critical problem for a spot in Europe’s second tier throughout the 2022-23 season, Francesco Calzona‘s aspect are subsequently on observe for at the very least a playoff when this 12 months’s group section finishes.

Nonetheless, if they’re to pip Sweden to high spot, they have to certainly finish their drought in opposition to Friday’s opponents: Slovakia have but to win in six earlier conferences – most not too long ago dropping on the Euro 2020 finals.

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Sitting alongside their subsequent hosts on six factors, Jon Dahl Tomasson‘s aspect cruised previous their first two Nations League challengers with out conceding a objective.

After dropping three out of 4 pleasant fixtures initially of his reign, new Blagult boss Tomasson eased the strain by recording back-to-back aggressive wins in September, following a 3-1 success in Azerbaijan with a complete residence win three days later.

Having additionally discovered the web in Baku, Sporting Lisbon objective machine Viktor Gyokeres scored twice in Solna, whereas strike accomplice Alexander Isak additionally registered his third objective of the marketing campaign because the Swedes strolled to victory in some model.

Following their relegation from League B in 2023, Sweden are already sizzling favourites for an instantaneous return, whereas profitable Group 1 may probably result in a backdoor place within the World Cup playoffs, if required.

Taking most factors this month would put them in pole place to say high spot, however they’ve misplaced three of their final 4 away matches forward of a troublesome task at Stadion Telhene Pole.

Slovakia Nations League kind:

Slovakia kind (all competitions):

Sweden Nations League kind:

Sweden kind (all competitions):

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Staff Information

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Inflicting a headache for coach Francesco Calzona, Slovakia might be with out a number of key gamers resulting from damage for each Nations League matches this month.

First-choice goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is absent, so Marek Rodak ought to deputise between the posts on Friday night, whereas Euros star Ivan Schranz and veteran midfielder Juraj Kucka are additionally injured.

Moreover, Verona pair Ondrej Duda and Tomas Suslov have been struggling for health of late – although each are staying with the squad – so Calzona may very well be set for an enforced reshuffle.

In the meantime, Sweden are lacking one among their brightest stars, Dubravka’s Newcastle United teammate Alexander Isak, that means Viktor Gyokeres would be the guests’ solely specialist centre-forward. Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski is ready to hyperlink up with the Sporting ace.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen is absent once more, having missed out final month, whereas Celta Vigo centre-back Carl Starfelt and Membership Brugge ahead Gustaf Nilsson additionally withdrew.

Midfield duo Jens Cajuste and Mattias Svanberg are unavailable too, so promising Beneath-21 gamers Hugo Bolin and Daniel Svensson – the latter reportedly of curiosity to Liverpool – have been known as up as cowl. Within the circumstances, Tottenham teenager Lucas Bergvall could even be handed a begin.

Slovakia doable beginning lineup:
Rodak; Pekarik, Obert, Skriniar, Hancko; Benes, Lobotka, Duda; Duris, Strelec, Haraslin

Sweden doable beginning lineup:
Johansson; Krafth, Douglas, Hien, Gudmundsson; Karlstrom, Bergvall; Kulusevski, Nanasi, Elanga; Gyokeres

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