Sweden-Azerbaijan is a match from the second day of Group F of Euro 2024 qualifying and is played on Monday at 20:45: TV, predictions
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku seem to have filed away their mutual grudges over that heated confrontation in a Milan derby a few years ago, and their post-match interviews – both of whom put the controversy to bed – point in that direction.
But on the pitch, in the match between Sweden and Belgium valid for the first day of Euro 2024 qualifying, it was undoubtedly Inter’s centre-forward who had the better of the opponents, who with a hat-trick allowed his national team to collect the first three points and mortgage the first place. It was predictable that the visitors would prevail, but no one expected such a heavy defeat (0-3) for Jan Andersson’s selection, which appeared constantly in difficulty and unable to hold off Domenico Tedesco’s players, who could not have wished for a better debut. For Ibrahimovic and his team-mates – the Milan player came on midway through the second half without making much of an impact – the going gets tougher, as Austria, the direct competitor for second place, scrambled Estonia in the other match to take an immediate lead of +3. Sweden, fresh from a disastrous Nations League – which ended in humiliating relegation to League C – run the risk of missing out on qualification to the final phase of a European championship for the first time since 1996.
A starting shirt for Ibra?
The signs are not encouraging but fortunately we can immediately turn the page with Azerbaijan, a modest selection who in Group F are still on zero points like Estonia – the Baltics have yet to make their debut – and Sweden themselves.
De Biasi
Gianni De Biasi’s Caucasians had travelled to Austria in confidence, thanks to five consecutive victories between Nations League and friendlies, but on the night in Linz they had a rude awakening, losing decisively (4-1) to the national team coached by Ralf Rangnick. Another defeat in Sweden would probably put an end to their already faint hopes of qualification, which is why they will play for everything. This time Ibrahimovic is expected to start alongside Newcastle striker Isak, with Kulusevski being moved to the left wing, a role he also plays at Tottenham.
The Prediction
For Sweden, this is a test not to be missed after their poor showing against Belgium: led by the charisma of Ibrahimovic, victory should come without any major problems. Azerbaijan, however, will not be an extra like in Austria. De Biasi’s men have been scoring uninterruptedly for six matches and should manage it again this time.
The Sweden-Azerbaijan line-up in Sweden
- SWEDEN (4-4-2): Olsen; Wahlqvist, Lindelof, Starfelt, Augustinsson; Kulusevski, Olsson, Svanberg, Forsberg; Ibrahimovic, Isak.
- AZERBAIGIAN (4-2-3-1): Imanov; Haghverdi, Mustafazada, Hesenalizade, Cafarguliyev; Mahmudov, Eddy; Kokcu, Isayev, Sheydayev; Dadashov.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1