Expert: “Security is not there”

Sweden got their dream start to the quarter-finals with a goal already in the seventh minute when Magdalena Eriksson scored 1-0. And then, after the equalizer for Japan, they can win 3-1 and thus beat their home country.

next one? Australia in the semi-finals. Blue and Yellow Australia won 4-2 in the group stage, after a swing event where Chelsea star Samantha Kerr became a two-goal lead.

According to SVT expert Markus Johannesson, it will be a key to Sweden – to track down the 27-year-old, who had a modicum of freedom in the group stage meeting.

Otherwise, Johansson’s opposition doesn’t frighten too much. However, there are signs of unrest in the blue and yellow team, he says.

– I’m a little worried that the backline isn’t really working. There isn’t really the security that was there before. There are some problems with the situation, we saw that in Japan’s target today. There is potential for development, Johannesson tells SVT Sport, and there is a small challenge for Gerhardsson (Peter, captain of the national team) that must be resolved before the remaining matches.

“must work”

Australia, who earlier today defeated Great Britain after extra time, only won one match in regular time in the tournament. According to Marcus Johansson, they are clearly under-favourites for the semi-final encounter.

They come to that match with everything to win, but for me Sweden is the favourites. It’s just a matter of going back to that press match, the way you brought the team together in the previous group stage matches, unlike today. Sweden has to make it work, it’s really, really good.

The semi-final match will be held on Monday at 13:00 Swedish time.

CLIP: Watch the highlights from Sweden and Japan here