It's a game I not only look forward to as a Swede but also as a lover of the game. There will be so many nuances and tactical battles for the players and coaches to solve.
This is the fourth consecutive major tournament in which Sweden have reached at least the semi-finals so it would be wrong to say it is a surprise they have made the last four. However, considering the changes they have needed to make and how tough the draw was on their side then their performances have been highly impressive. Their quarter-final against Japan was astonishing. A lot of people had Japan as favourites and yet Sweden won comfortably.
They nullified their opponents, laying a clear foundation, and their own plan was perfectly executed. Japan had previously profited from counterattacking opportunities through the middle but Sweden kept the ball really well, usually attacking down the right side. That meant if they lost the ball they had not lost it in those central areas. Instead, their counter-pressing won the ball back, leading to set-pieces, and in the end goals.
Every Swedish player is a defender when they don't have the ball. The defensive actions are performed as a collective. They value a player out of possession just as much as in possession.
Under Peter Gerhardsson, their coach, Sweden will almost always attempt that overload on the right and try to dictate their opponent to play on their left side. His players know the tasks they must succeed at. That's fundamental to any successful team but there is also a question of balance, of how rigid you must be when the opportunity comes to switch the ball to the other side.
Esta historia es de la edición August 15, 2023 de The Guardian.
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