Sweden vs England:
The Samara Arena prepares to host the third World Cup 2018 quarter final between Sweden and England at 7 pm (PST) today. From not being able to qualify for the last world cup to making it to the last eight this year; that too without their talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovich; Sweden has been a team to look out for. Similarly, it is after an absence of twelve years that England have reached this stage of the competition, and they are three games away from the World Cup glory that they last celebrated in 1996.
THE JOURNEY TO THE QUARTER FINALS:
In a challenging group where Germany finished last, Sweden battled against all odds to conclude as leaders before beating sixth-rank Switzerland 1-0 in the pre-quarter finals.
England qualified through their group, finishing second to Belgium, and just edging out Colombia in an all-dramatic enthralling penalty shootout.
HEAD TO HEAD SINCE 2000:
England 2 – draw 2* – Sweden 1
*world cup matches
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Expect a physical grind-it-out battle. Sweden is a strong team that likes to sit deep in defense and mostly rely on aerial play or set-pieces to score, one that England will find hard to penetrate. Harry Kane continues to be the star man for England. A goal glut is not on the cards. The game might go to extra time.
PREDICTED LINE UPS:
Sweden XI: Olsen, Krafth, Lindelof, Granqvist, Augustinsson, Claesson, Larsson, Ekdal, Forsberg, Berg, Toivonen
England XI: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Trippier, Young, Henderson, Alli, Lingard, Sterling, Kane
PREDICTION:
England to win by one goal or penalties
Imagine Zlatan Ibrahimovic in an England shirt at Wimbledon.
Maryam Ahmad Kiyani
Class of 2021