Sweden’s 2-1 win over South Africa could have been too shut for consolation however was no trigger for concern, veteran Kosovare Asllani stated, with a difficult Italy crew awaiting it in its second Women’s World Cup group-stage affair on Saturday.
Amanda Ilestedt’s Ninetieth-minute winner saved the 2003 runners-up from embarrassment on Sunday in opposition to underdog South Africa, which is ranked 51 rungs beneath it.
Asllani stated whereas the trouble was beneath Sweden’s finest, they have been “more than satisfied” with the win in a wide-open event.
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“This World Cup is harder to predict than any World Cup so far. There are so many teams that have developed greatly,” she informed reporters on Friday. “I’m generally very impressed with the so-called ‘underdog teams’.”
Sweden has completed third on three separate events on the World Cup and is hoping to keep away from heartbreak on the worldwide stage but once more after a shootout defeat by Canada within the Olympic ultimate two years in the past.
Its opening effort in New Zealand was one they will construct on, stated coach Peter Gerhardsson, who centered the lengthy break between matches on “tactical discussions.”
He expects an unpredictable and bodily Italy to maintain them on their toes in Wellington after the Sixteenth-ranked crew beat Argentina 1-0 of their tensely fought opener in Auckland on Monday.
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“They change around sometimes, adapting to the lineup of their opponents. They’re also flexible sometimes in terms of the players they use. Some teams are sometimes easier to know (the lineup),” he stated, by way of a translator.
Sweden beat Italy on penalties of their final assembly on the 2022 Algarve Cup.
“They had a lineup that we felt was somewhat adapted to our game plan, making it somewhat more difficult for us,” stated Gerhardsson. “It’s a skilled team … especially bearing in mind that they are physical.”
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com