England's World Cup 2018 quarter-final against Sweden will be like Iceland all over again, warns Sven Goran Eriksson
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Sven Goran Eriksson says England will fear another Iceland disaster when they face Sweden in their World Cup showdown.
Eriksson even believes England would have a better chance of beating favourites Brazil than they do defeating his homeland in Saturday’s quarter-final.
The former Three Lions boss claims Gareth Southgate's Colombia penalty shootout heroes are in for an even harder game at the weekend, and that Sweden are capable of repeating fellow Scandinavians Iceland’s shock 2-1 victory at the Euros two years ago.
Eriksson said: “England have a great chance to make a World Cup semi-final. But, if anyone in the squad thinks they have an easy game on Saturday, they’re wrong.
“It’ll be the most difficult game they’ll have played so far, they can bet on that.
(Image: Reuters)
“It would be easier for England to beat Brazil than to beat Sweden, in my opinion. Sweden today are a very hard team to break down. Their strikers are defenders when it’s time to defend, and they can defend in their own box as well.
“Sweden will be more or less the same as Iceland in Euro 2016 — they don’t have the best footballers in the world, and none of our players would play in the first team of the biggest clubs in the world since Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) has left. But, as a team, the way they work together, they are one of the best.
“You won’t find a better team — Sweden are world champions of team spirit.”
Eriksson was in charge of England’s Golden Generation, and the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes struggled when they faced the Swedes.
The nations have played one another 24 times in total, England just edge it with nine wins, Sweden have eight and the rest ended in draws.
(Image: Getty)
But they have developed a remarkable rivalry in recent years, with Eriksson meeting his homeland four times during his five-and-a-half years in charge of England and not managing to them once.
He insists that, despite Harry Kane leading the tournament's Golden Boot race with six goals, Sweden will not fear him and feels the match will be so tight that it could be penalties for the second match running for the Three Lions.
Eriksson added: “Harry Kane will be a tougher challenge than they’re used to, but Sweden won’t be impressed by Kane – or whoever is in the England team. Not at all.
“Kane can be a match-winner. They have speed in Vardy ( if he is fit after his groin strain), even if not the most technical player, and Sterling. They have speed in Rashford, who is dynamite. They are very good at counter-attacks but won’t get many chances of that against Sweden.
“They [Sweden] will not change anything. They’ll be 4-4-2, organised, let England have the ball, no problem. They’ll wait.
(Image: Reuters)
“Sweden are so difficult to break down. They are very solid and really tough. If you woke them up in the middle of the night, they would know every position in defending – any possibility in the game, they know what to do.
“I can see a draw and extra-time. England have set-pieces, Sweden will make some chances, but the game will come down to luck – the team that makes the most of their luck will win. It will be very tight.
“Many teams have tried to break down Sweden. Italy couldn’t score in 180 minutes in the qualifying play-offs. Germany struggled in the group stage and needed Toni Kroos’ free-kick to save them. Switzerland could have played for a week and still not scored against Sweden.
“The defence is a great strength. Especially from set-pieces. Sweden are a tall team at the back and very well organised.
“Both teams will have the problem of scoring. It’s a good thing that England are scoring from corners, penalties and free-kicks, and they look very dangerous from these all the time.
“The important thing is that England went through on penalties for once. That’ll be great for their confidence going on in the tournament.
“Everyone gets worried when a game goes to penalties, and with the record England have in competitions, it’s huge in England that they’ve managed to win the shootout here.
“Of course, penalties are a special issue in games like this. I don’t know how much difference winning the Colombia shootout will make when they play the next game, but it’s great for confidence because of England’s history.
“My brain says England, though my heart says Sweden.”
* Sven-Goran Eriksson was speaking exclusively to Paddy Power News.
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