Callum Davies
What: Euro 2012 Group D
Who: Sweden vs France
When: Tuesday 19th June, 2012, at 19:45 UK time
Where: Olympiyskyi Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine
Avoiding the Whitewash
After an agonising defeat at the hands of the English in the second round of group games, following on from their shock first match loss to tournament co-hosts Ukraine, Sweden can no longer advance to the knockout stages at Euro 2012.
The Scandinavians often looked dangerous against England and threatened on several occasions in the 3-2 defeat after battling back from a goal down to lead with 20 minutes to play. Sweden looked to be causing a major upset when Olof Mellberg headed in to make the game 2-1 after Andy Carroll had opened the scoring and Glen Johnson’s own goal levelled matters. The Swedes were unable to hang on however, and Theo Walcott’s strike and Danny Welbeck’s deft flick in the 78th minute sealed it. If the see-saw encounter served to show the world that Sweden were a serious attacking threat, the ineptitude at the back was the weak link in the chain and cost them dearly.
Erik Hamren’s men certainly have some defensive issues to address in order to avoid a group whitewash, and France on paper present a much greater attacking threat than that of either of the other Group D teams.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has unsurprisingly been Sweden’s main goal threat so far, and will need to be on top form in this encounter. Having caused England problems on Friday night, coach Hamren will again call upon his prized possession and captain to test the French physicality in defence.
Pushing for Top Spot
France come into the game knowing that a draw will ensure safe passage through to the quarter-finals, but Laurent Blanc’s focus will be aimed squarely at clinching top spot in the group with a win and a potentially easier tie in the next round.
The manner in which Les Bleus dispatched Ukraine after a delay of 50 or so minutes due to adverse weather conditions outlined their tournament credentials, and they have looked slick in attack and well organised in defence. Two goals in three minutes from Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye helped sweep aside their opponents, and France will have taken a great deal of confidence from their first win at a major tournament for six years.
As Blanc reiterated after the Ukraine clash, “We dominated the game right from the start in terms of shots on target and possession” a factor which largely contributed to an impressive performance against England. France’s coach has also not been shy in underlining the threat in which his side poses to the other elite European outfits: “We scored twice and could have had more,” Blanc said. ‘We have a lot of potential.” Les Bleus could still have something more to offer and they are building momentum just at the right time.
Recent form
Sweden:
Sweden 3-2 Iceland (30/05; Friendly)
Ukraine 2-1 Sweden (11/06; Euro 2012)
Sweden 2-3 England (15/06; Euro 2012)
France:
France 4-0 Estonia (05/06; Friendly)
France 1-1 England (11/06; Euro 2012)
Ukraine 0-2 France (15/06; Euro 2012)
Players to watch
Sweden – Kim Kallstrom: The long-time Lyon defensive midfielder has not had many big performances to draw upon in this tournament, but will certainly be keen to atone by nullifying the likes of Samir Nasri and Yohan Cabaye. He has yet to show his consistent club form in the yellow jersey of his country, however he is considered a world-class talent and the heartbeat of the Swedish team. Kallstrom’s ability to control the game will prove vital in the quest for victory and his presence against the French attacking style could push him into a solid display.
France – Samir Nasri: Very much a young starlet with many years of international football ahead of him, the Manchester City attacking midfielder has already shown his importance in Blanc’s set-up by starting both group games and scoring the leveller against England in the opening fixture. Sharp on the ball, and one of the best through-ball players in the world, he cannot be left for a single moment as he is a game changer for club and country. Nasri will receive plenty of the ball, and his attacking instincts could be the key to unlocking the Scandinavian defence and securing a top spot berth.
Match Prediction
France head into the tie knowing a win would all but clinch top spot and this knowledge will drive Les Bleus onto the front foot straight from the outset. They are now also aware that Sweden can score freely and Ibrahimovic will undoubtedly be marked tightly as possible in order to counteract his immense physicality and dribbling prowess. France will adopt a strong reliance on possession, as they have shown in their previous two games, with the aim being to impose themselves on the Swedes as much as possible. Sweden’s faltering defence may not have much of a response, and this could lead to a comfortable victory for Blanc’s men.
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