The “new” Sweden has received mixed reactions at home. Jon Dahl Tomasson may have one of the most exciting attacking lines right now with Gyökeres, Isak, and Kulusevski, but something still seems off. Even though life in the third tier of the Nations League was supposed to be a cakewalk, it looks like they might face some real challenges. Here's our betting tip for Saturday's match.
As mentioned, Sweden’s offensive play has been firing on all cylinders. Scoring three goals against both Estonia and Azerbaijan might not scare anyone, but we know how well Gyökeres is playing in Portugal, and many of us saw Kulusevski’s performance against Tottenham a few weeks ago. These guys are top-quality. Isak is injured, but behind the lethal duo up front, Sweden also boasts a midfield brimming with talent. Young energy is mixed with experience, and players like Bergvall, Elanga, and Eliasson are exciting names to watch.
But as mentioned, something isn’t quite right. Behind the impressive results lies another story—a story of exceptional goalkeeping and a lot of luck. Sweden has looked shaky in defense, and we would be surprised if Slovakia hasn’t pinpointed these weaknesses ahead of this match.
We believe Sweden will face a tough challenge here. The odds for a home win or draw (HU) are too low, and maybe that’s for the best. This match is wide open. But we remember Slovakia from this summer’s Euros—a team that scored in every game and defied all predictions by advancing from the group stage and almost knocking England out in the Round of 16.
Slovakia, like Sweden, has started flawlessly, with 6 points from 2 games. And while their results may not look as impressive, Slovakia has a strong team featuring several players from the top European leagues. Serie A dominates, but there are also players from the Premier League and the Bundesliga in their squad.
We think Sweden knows they’ll need to score more than one goal to win here, so they won’t be parking the bus to get a point. Whether they can manage it remains to be seen, but we’d be surprised if they’ve already fixed their defensive issues. Both teams also know that one of them will likely top the group when all is said and done, and there’s a good chance that the winner of this match will be the one to do it—if there is a winner.
Betting Tip
It’s bound to be close and exciting, as it often is when Sweden is involved.
Therefore, our betting tip is: Nations League, Friday: Slovakia vs. Sweden – Both teams to score
