SYDNEY-The penultimate stage of a serious event is acquainted territory for Sweden and though they’ve didn’t clear that hurdle a number of occasions just lately, that robust pedigree may serve them effectively in opposition to Spain of their Ladies’s World Cup semi-final.
The 2 groups will vie for a spot within the remaining at Auckland’s Eden Park on Tuesday, organising a showdown in Sydney with both co-hosts Australia or European champions England for the prospect to be topped a first-time World Cup winner. “It’s going to be a high-pressure Spain and high-pressure Sweden,” Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson mentioned. “For me, it’s beautiful soccer.”
Sweden are the highest-ranked nation remaining – at world quantity three – and are showing at their fifth World Cup semi-final. They’ve performed in all 9 editions however solely reached the ultimate as soon as, after they misplaced to Germany in 2003. The Scandinavians haven’t gained a serious trophy because the inaugural 1984 Euros, when solely 4 groups took half. In addition they reached the semi-finals of final 12 months’s Euros and the 2019 World Cup, and have been runners-up on the final two Olympics.
Sweden gained all three group video games this event and dispatched two World Cup winners – the USA and Japan – within the knockouts. They are going to be assured of continuous that momentum in opposition to Spain, who’ve by no means reached the final 4 of the showpiece event. “We get pleasure from expertise,” captain Kosovare Asllani mentioned. “We have now gone far in the previous couple of tournaments however I’m significantly happy with the way in which we’ve achieved it this time. “We have now gained our matches in several methods and it exhibits the power of this crew.”
Spain’s solely earlier semi-final look at a serious event was on the 1997 Euros. They made their World Cup debut in 2015 and their finest consequence previous to this event was a final 16 exit 4 years in the past. After seeing off 2019 runners-up Netherlands, they’re now one win away from a primary remaining, lower than a 12 months after 15 gamers staged a revolt in opposition to long-serving coach Jorge Vilda and threatened to stop if he was not fired. Spain are winless in 11 conferences in opposition to Sweden – none of which had been at a World Cup – and have misplaced seven of these video games. The groups drew 1-1 in a pleasant final October in Cordoba.
“When you don’t really feel any nerves earlier than a sport like this then one thing shouldn’t be proper,” veteran ahead Jenni Hermoso mentioned. “It provides you goosebumps fascinated by how shut we’re to the ultimate … Spain will come out extra decided than ever. “We have now labored so onerous to get right here … I would like the entire crew to get pleasure from it and for the entire of Spain to be behind us.”