Why Sweden should beat Denmark in Euro playoff
Oliver Gee - [email protected]
Published: 13 Nov, 2015 CET.
Updated: Fri 13 Nov 2015 10:21 CET
Sweden is set to take on Denmark in the first leg of the Euro 2016 qualifiers on Saturday night. Here is why the Swedish footballers should win.
1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Let's face it: He is old and arrogant, but he is in fine form.
The Swede is fresh from winning Sweden's Golden Ball award and has scored nine goals in six league games for Paris Saint-Germain. He noted this week that his statistics appear to be improving with age.
"So if I'm old and getting weak and still doing what I do, imagine if I was good and young, what I would do then," he told reporters this week.
Ibrahimovic scored eight goals for Sweden during the qualifiers for Euro 2016 and has a national record of 59 goals from 109 international appearances.
2. History is on Sweden's side
In the fierce and historic rivalry that kicked off in 1913, Sweden is leading the charge after the 103 matches so far.
Sweden has won 45 of the games compared to 40 for Denmark. Eighteen games have finished in a draw.
The video below shows how the matches have played out over time.
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Danmark - Sverige
103 landskampe er det blevet til mod arvefjenden siden 1913.Hvordan tror du, det går på lørdag?Læs mere om kampen her: http://jyllands-posten.dk/sport/
Posted by Jyllands-Posten on Thursday, 12 November 2015
3. It's a home match
You can never discount the home advantage, and you can guarantee a loud and mighty crowd at the Solna stadium near Stockholm on Saturday night. Swedish fans will be hungry for a good result before the return leg in Copenhagen on November 17th.
The Swedish team has surely long forgotten the fact that it was in Sweden that Denmark won the Euro '92 (and only after losing to the hosts in the group stage).
4. Sweden on a better run
Even though Sweden has never scored in a home qualifying game against Denmark, they're on the back of two 2-0 victories from their closing qualifying fixtures.
Denmark, meanwhile, haven't managed to score in their last three competitive games.
5. New clothes
Lastly, Sweden has new home and away jerseys, and it's a fact universally acknowledged that you always feel better when you're wearing new clothes.
Here's a look at what the team will be wearing on Saturday night, followed by a look at their new away uniforms for next week's match in Copenhagen.
The new home jersey for Sweden. Proud to wear this when we battle for our place at the Euro 2016. #BeTheDifference pic.twitter.com/nqKTLsRoj4
— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) November 5, 2015
The new Swedish away jersey. Together we will create special moments wearing this kit. #BeTheDifference pic.twitter.com/HfWB3Nguub
— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) November 12, 2015
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1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Let's face it: He is old and arrogant, but he is in fine form.
The Swede is fresh from winning Sweden's Golden Ball award and has scored nine goals in six league games for Paris Saint-Germain. He noted this week that his statistics appear to be improving with age.
"So if I'm old and getting weak and still doing what I do, imagine if I was good and young, what I would do then," he told reporters this week.
Ibrahimovic scored eight goals for Sweden during the qualifiers for Euro 2016 and has a national record of 59 goals from 109 international appearances.
2. History is on Sweden's side
In the fierce and historic rivalry that kicked off in 1913, Sweden is leading the charge after the 103 matches so far.
Sweden has won 45 of the games compared to 40 for Denmark. Eighteen games have finished in a draw.
The video below shows how the matches have played out over time.
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
Danmark - Sverige103 landskampe er det blevet til mod arvefjenden siden 1913.Hvordan tror du, det går på lørdag?Læs mere om kampen her: http://jyllands-posten.dk/sport/
Posted by Jyllands-Posten on Thursday, 12 November 2015
3. It's a home match
You can never discount the home advantage, and you can guarantee a loud and mighty crowd at the Solna stadium near Stockholm on Saturday night. Swedish fans will be hungry for a good result before the return leg in Copenhagen on November 17th.
The Swedish team has surely long forgotten the fact that it was in Sweden that Denmark won the Euro '92 (and only after losing to the hosts in the group stage).
4. Sweden on a better run
Even though Sweden has never scored in a home qualifying game against Denmark, they're on the back of two 2-0 victories from their closing qualifying fixtures.
Denmark, meanwhile, haven't managed to score in their last three competitive games.
5. New clothes
Lastly, Sweden has new home and away jerseys, and it's a fact universally acknowledged that you always feel better when you're wearing new clothes.
Here's a look at what the team will be wearing on Saturday night, followed by a look at their new away uniforms for next week's match in Copenhagen.
The new home jersey for Sweden. Proud to wear this when we battle for our place at the Euro 2016. #BeTheDifference pic.twitter.com/nqKTLsRoj4
— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) November 5, 2015
The new Swedish away jersey. Together we will create special moments wearing this kit. #BeTheDifference pic.twitter.com/HfWB3Nguub
— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) November 12, 2015
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