Sweden-Albania is a friendly and is played Monday at 7 p.m.: news, stats, likely lineups, predictions, live TV and streaming.
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s adventure as Sweden’s technical commissioner began with a resounding setback: in Portugal last Thursday, the Scandinavian selection was demolished by the Lusitanians (5-2), overwhelming despite the absence of totem Cristiano Ronaldo. Leao, Matheus Nunes and Bruno Fernandes sealed the deal already in the first half on Guimaraes night, then scored two more goals in the second half with Bruma and Gonçalo Ramos.
Delayed the reaction of Sweden, which shortened the gap early in the second half with its most in-form man, Sporting Gyokeres striker, certainly one of the few positive notes. Tomasson at the end of the match could not help but praise Portugal, which appeared “unplayable” as in the qualifiers, but he also dwelt on the performance of his men. Some progress, especially in ball possession, there was. Of the Swedes, in fact, the proactive and at times even unscrupulous attitude was striking, in stark contrast to the previous management. The former AC Milan striker inherited a complicated situation, with Sweden failing to qualify for the final phase of a European Championship for the first time since 1996 and even being relegated to League C of the Nations League.
The Scandinavians will go in search of their second friendly of 2024 – in January they prevailed 2-1 in the match against Estonia – in the friendly with Albania, another representative team hunting for redemption after last Friday’s ugly defeat in the test with Chile (0-3).
An unexpected knockout, since Sylvinho’s Shqiponjat had not lost in exactly one year and had come from eight positive results. A performance to forget that of the Rossoneri, disastrous in their own half of the field and never really dangerous (zero shots on goal). Albania, unlike Sweden, will be there at the next European Championships, having qualified thanks to the first place in their group. And in the group, in Germany, it will also face Luciano Spalletti’s Italy,as well as Spain and Croatia.
The prediction
Sweden, despite its heavy defeat to Portugal-a selection currently out of reach-has shown significant improvements in ball possession. Tomasson has probably found a way to exploit the offensive potential of the various Kulusevski, Isak and Gyokeres, who could not express themselves at their best under the previous selector. The extra day of rest compared to Albania and the fact of playing in front of their home crowd will likely make the difference: Scandinavians favored.
Sweden-Albania
probable lineups.
SWEDEN (4-4-2): Olsen; Krafth, Lindelof, Starfelt, Gudmundsson; Kulusevski, Cajuste, Gustafson, Elanga; Isak, Gyokeres.
ALBANIA (4-2-3-1): Strakosha; Hysaj, Kumbulla, Djimsiti, Mitaj; Laci, Asllani; Asani, Bajrami, Cikalleshi; Broja.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
