Preview: Sweden - Hungary

CelticKing · Sep 9, 2008

Preview: Sweden - Hungary

What: World Cp 2010 Qualifying Group 1
Who: Sweden (2nd, 1/3pts) vs Hungary (4th, 1/3pts)
When: Wednesday 10 September 2008, 19:15 Local Time
Where: Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden

Hungary and Sweden both picked up a single point on Matchday 1, albeit amidst drastically different circumstances. How will they get on as they meet each other in the Swedish capital?

Toothless

It's fair to say that Sweden didn't start qualification as they intend to go on. Coach Lars Lagerbäck's attempt to have a more offensive team with a 3-5-2 formation failed at the Qemal Stafa Stadium against Albania as the Swedes limped to a 0-0 draw.

Instead of showcasing their attacking talents, the Swedes regressed into a 5-3-2 system, with the central backs much more involved in the build-up of the game, to the detriment of the two forwards, who received very little assistance.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic played well, but the few chances that he created for himself and his team were wasted. Some bad luck was also involved, as his best shot ended up hitting the woodworks.

The match that the Swedes probably should have won ended goalless. Next they will face Hungary at home, a game they now have to win. That is the general opinion going into the game.

Danish Delight

Hungary, like Albania, also managed a draw at home against the Danish. Ever since newly appointed manager Erwin Koeman took over the team in May of this year, the Hungarians have not lost a single game.

The new coach, the younger of the Koeman brothers, has brought new hopes to a team that has failed to qualify for a World Cup (or any other tournament, for that matter) since 1986.

And they certainly have a chance to do so this time around. Both Sweden and Denmark have shown some weaknesses lately, with a lot of injuries and the increasing need to make a generational shift becoming apparent. Sweden’s attempts at this so far are not at all reassuring. If anything, they're regressing.

Portugal are expected to more or less cruise to a first place in group A, which leaves the second spot up for grabs. The strongest candidate is probably Sweden, which - with Lagerbäck at the helm - have managed to qualify to all major tournaments this millennia. But Denmark will certainly fight them all the way, keen to settle both old and fresh scores, like the last European qualification campaign.

Hungary are by no means out of this equation, at least so far. Generally, you have to win the home games and play draw on the away games to secure the qualification, which means that Hungary will have to step it up a notch.

Will Koeman be able to end a 22-year old Hungarian curse? The national team has not qualified for the World Cup or the Euros since 1986. The great national teams of 1938 and 1954, that reached two World Cup finals, are a distant memory for most Hungarians.

In a recent poll about the funding of the national league, most people wanted the state to decrease the public funds of the sport. Hungarian football has a 22-year old sickness to beat, and all hopes are put on a Dutch to turn this around. At least, they have managed to pick a coach from the right country!

FORM GUIDE

Sweden

06 Sep 08 Albania (A) DREW 0-0 (ECQ)
20 Aug 08 France (H) LOST 3-2 (Friendly)
18 Jun 08 Russia (N) LOST 2-0 (EC)
14 Jun 08 Spain (N) LOST 2-1 (EC)
10 Jun 08 Greece (N) WON 2-0 (EC)

Hungary

06 Sep 08 Denmark (H) DREW 0-0 (WCQ)
20 Aug 08 Montenegro (H) DREW 3-3 (Friendly)
31 May 08 Croatia (H) DREW 1-1 (Friendly)
24 May 08 Greece (H) WON 3-2 (Friendly)
26 Mar 08 Slovenia (H) LOST 1-0 (Friendly)

TEAM NEWS

Sweden

A lot has changed since the Euros in the Swedish national team. Fredrik Ljungberg’s days in the national team have come to an end, and in football altogether it seems. New temporary captain is the eternally young Henrik Larsson.

The team is plagued by injuries, with Johan Elmander, Anders Svensson and Christian Wilhelmsson all out. Furthermore, on the last game, both Linderoth and Isaksson picked up knocks, although Isaksson, at least, will recover to play.

Probable Starting XI: Andreas Isaksson; Olof Mellberg, Daniel Majstorovic, Petter Hanson; Mikael Nilsson, Daniel Andersson, Kim Källström, Sebastian Larsson, Oscar Wendt; Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrik Larsson.

Hungary

Coach Koeman probably won't make too many changes from the side which held Denmark to that weekend draw. Tamás Priskin and Dániel Tőzsér have been dropped, while young Tamás Kádár misses a chance to debut due to injury.

Probable Starting XI: Gábor Babos - Vilmos Vanczak, Roland Juhasz, Zoltán Szélesi, Szaboics Huszti - Laszio Bodnar, Krisztian Vadozc, Pal Dardal - Balázs Dzsudzsak, Zoltán Gera and Tamas Hajnal

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Sweden – Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Ibra had a great match against Albania, but in the end it did not pay off. He openly showed his disappointment with the assistance he got, especially when it was the back line who provided him with long balls. Zlatan also has a reputation to live up with considering qualification games against Hungary: on two occasions he scored decisive goals against the Hungarian side in qualification campaigns. And the last time around, in 2005, it was simply a magnificent and beautiful thing.

Hungary – Szaboics Huszti: Tamas Hajnal was the best offensive player against the Danish, and will be looking to repeat a great performance against the Swedes.
Click to expand...

M Two One · Sep 9, 2008

Sweden 3 : 1 Hungary

Colonel Ronan · Sep 10, 2008

Sweden 2-1 Hungary

CelticKing · Sep 10, 2008

Sweden 1 - 0 Hungary

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Preview: Sweden - Hungary

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