Image Courtesy: UEFA.com
Against Slovakia in the European Championship, Sweden promises a broader approach. The Swedes had only 15% possession against Spain in their Group E opening, the lowest figure ever recorded at the event. They only had 161 passes compared to Spain’s 917.
According to coach Janne Andersson Sweden’s game strategy of hunkering down, defending solidly and compactly, and then seeking to hit on the break worked. After all, the final score was 0-0, a respectable result against the group’s strongest squad, and Sweden’s attackers Alexander Isak and Marcus Berg arguably generated the game’s best two opportunities.
That won’t fly in Slovakia on Friday, where they’ll face a team with a similar defensive rigidity and style to Sweden. Indeed, Slovakia may be prepared to retreat and absorb up pressure in the fourth match of Euro 2020, which will be contested in St. Petersburg this tournament.
A positive Covid test for one of Slovakia’s fringe players, Denis Vavro, has thrown the team’s preparations into disarray. Following positive results from testing on Wednesday, the 25-year-old defender and a member of the team’s coaching staff are being isolated.
In terms of contact tracing, the Slovakian team is working with Russian public health authorities. There hasn’t been any other player quarantined yet.