Sweden beat Serbia with the result of 0-2 in Leskovac. This is the first of the two legs in the final round of the WEURO 2025 qualifying playoffs.
Grid View
Sweden XI
Serbia XI
Substitutes
Peter Gerhardsson put up a 4-3-3 formation with the midfield of Asllani-Bennison-Angeldahl where Real Madrid’s Filippa Angeldahl operated on the right-hand side.
When the Swedes would press up high, the front three would be positioned inside the box, and the attacks from the right side would be with Lundkvist and Angeldal combining wide to then cross inside. There were periods throughout the game in which Sweden had Serbia pressed back into their defending third. However, the Eagles had moments in which they led the game as well.
Serbia mostly gave problems in midfield around the touchline, where they would push the Swedish midfield and make them either lose the ball then and there or make them kick it out behind. The Eagles had their fair share of saves inside their box, with most of the blocks being controlled, and Cetinja having her hands full. All in all, Serbia did well to neutralize Sweden as well as they could, having a few attempts themselves as well (2 out of 6 on target). Finally, they couldn’t manage to stop the individual talent the Scandinavians possessed and ended up conceding 2 goals in the second half.
The chance that ended up as the first goal of the game was started by Angeldal on the right side. She carried the ball to the box, sending it to the middle of the penalty area where Serbian defenders tried to clear the ball, but the clearance ended at Hanna Bennison’s feet, and she shot a rocket from outside of the box.
Rosa Kafaji, who came on for Asllani in 62’, doubled the lead in only 8 minutes on the pitch. Jonna Andersson took the corner and found Kafaji who was positioned near the goal and ready to head it in.
With this 0-2 lead from the first leg, Sweden is one step away from qualifying for the WEURO 2025. The second leg, which will be the final game of the playoffs, will be played on December 3rd in Sweden.