The biggest of the two Euro 2016 play off matches playing around Europe this happens in the most Northerly regions of the continent as two well acquainted countries do battle at the Friends Arena in Solna. The two sides that are clashing had big parts to play in the European Championships as the home team this evening hosted that event whilst the away team, despite not qualifying, emerged victorious to lift their only major international trophy, but who’ll triumph this Saturday evening?
We preview this Sweden v Denmark match with online sportsbook WilliamHill.com and provide our best Euro 2016 tips too.
Betting Odds:
To Qualify for the 2016 European Championships:
Sweden to qualify – 1.73
Denmark to qualify – 2.00
First Leg Match Odds:
Sweden Victory – 2.30
Draw – 3.10
Denmark Victory – 3.30
Team News:
Both of these local rivals are in good shape for this first leg and Tuesday’s second leg too with the majority of their squads fit and ready to play these vital 180 minutes – and maybe more – of football but there are some minor concerns for both teams.
The Swedish side are definitely missing midfielders Pontus Wernbloom with a thigh injury and Albin Ekdahl who has a foot injury while there are major doubts over the fitness of two further midfielders in Kim Kallstrom and Oscar Lewicki with illness and concussion respectively.
Denmark have just two concerns as versatile midfielder/striker Pione Sisto is out with a groin injury and Leon Andreasen will certainly miss the game after undergoing surgery on his left hand following a serious injury sustained while opening an parcel with a knife.
Form:
Neither of these pair of teams come into this clash in great form as defeats to Russia and Austria in two of the final four matches of Group G saw them slip to third, missing out on an automatic place in France next summer despite being Liechtenstein and Moldova – the bottom two sides in the group – at the end of this four game spell.
Things are even worse for Denmark as 0-0 draws with Albania and Armenia as well as a 1-0 defeat to Portugal in their last three group games see them without a goal in more than 4.5 hours of competitive football. They were also beaten 2-1 by France a month ago in a friendly match to see them without a win in four games. They have also lost three and drawn one of their last four away games, both competitive and friendly, without scoring a goal. However, their last win away from home came exactly a year ago to the day. Is this an omen for the Danes?
Head-to-Head Record:
As was mentioned earlier, these two sides are very familiar foes having clashed on 104 previous meetings and it is the home side in this first leg that has done the better of the two sides with their 45 victories being five greater than their guests this Saturday evening. There have been 19 draws between the sides and, again as mentioned earlier, the Swedes were the only side to have defeated Denmark during their run to lift the European Championships 23 years ago.
Despite trailing the Swedes in their head-to-head record over their history it is the Danish side who have had the better record in recent times. Denmark are unbeaten in five meetings with Sweden since 2007 and they have emerged triumphant in each of the last four of those meetings. The visitors to Solna this weekend have kept clean sheets in every game during this undefeated run while there has been an average of a single goal scored per match.
Final Thoughts:
Unlike William Hill who make the home side at the Friends Arena the favourites to win this match we feel that with their dominance in recent Sweden v Denmark clashes and the fact that their last away win came a year ago to the day we feel that Denmark could very well get something from this clash.
They are available at odds of 1.57 to win or draw and there is certainly value there, but with the Danes failing to score in recent times and Sweden only bagging five in their last four matches, with four of those coming against the group minnows, we can see this clash being a close and cagey affair as both sides aim to go to the second leg on Tuesday still in with a chance of booking their place on the plane to France next summer. As such, we expect few goals in Solna between these two Scandinavian sides and are putting our cash on this outcome.
Our top Sweden v Denmark tip is back Both Teams to Score – No @ 1.65 in the William Hill Sportsbook!