Sweden vs Albania Match Analysis & Prediction


25/03/2024 9:00 pm


Having both suffered defeat in their first international matches of the month, Sweden and Albania hope to redeem themselves in Monday’s friendly at Friends Arena in Stockholm.
The Scandinavian hosts were thrashed 5-2 by Portugal on Thursday night, one day before Chile hit their vicitors for three without reply.
Stepping into the void left by the long-serving Janne Andersson, who resigned from his position in the wake of Sweden’s failure to qualify for Euro 2024, former Blackburn Rovers manager Jon Dahl Tomasson was handed a rude awakening on his international managerial debut following a 5-2 defeat to Portugal.
Following that unsuccessful trip to the Iberian Peninsula, Tomasson will now step foot into the Stockholm dugout for the first time on Monday as Sweden seek a fourth home victory in a row, the most recent of which was a 2-1 win over Estonia in January with Daniel Backstrom in charge.
However, due to their underwhelming Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, Sweden failed to make the continental showpiece for the first time since 1996, leaving the Blue and Yellow without any competitive commitments until they begin their quest for Nations League promotion in September, having also dropped down to the third tier of that competition.
While Sweden’s players will be watching Euro 2024 from the comfort of their own homes, Albania have just a second appearance at the continental competition pencilled into their diaries following an unforeseen first-placed finish in Group E on goal difference over Czech Republic.
Albania also capitalised on Poland’s shortcomings to place first in a Euros qualifying group for the first time in their history, putting together a seven-game unbeaten run after losing their opening match 1-0 to Poland and pipping the Czechs to the post by virtue of a superior head-to-head record.
Led by former Arsenal and Barcelona left-back Sylvinho, Albania’s reward for topping their section was an entry ticket into the group of death with regining champions Italy, 2008 victors Spain and World Cup 2018 finalists Croatia, and their preparations for that disconcerting group have not started swiftly.
The Eagles’ eight-game unbeaten run across all competitions came to a bitter end with a 3-0 friendly defeat to Chile on Italian soil on Saturday, where Eduardo Vargas, Victor Davila and Marcos Bolados helped themselves to goals in a game where Albania could not muster a single shot on target.
Sweden vs. Albania Head to head
In the five previous meetings between these two teams, Sweden have claimed three victories while Albania have won one, and they have drawn once.
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05/11/1988Albania1Sweden2UEFA World Cup Qualifiers
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08/10/1989Sweden3Albania1UEFA World Cup Qualifiers
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18/02/2004Albania2Sweden1Friendlies
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06/09/2008Albania0Sweden0UEFA World Cup Qualifiers
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14/10/2009Sweden4Albania1UEFA World Cup Qualifiers
Sweden Team News
Opting for a 4-2-3-1 formation in his first game in charge, Tomasson was missing a midfield stalwart in Kristoffer Olsson, who was hospitalised last month with blood clots on the brain after a distressing collapse at his home.
In the defeat to Portugal, Mattias Svanberg came off injured with 20 minutes left to play and may now cede his place to Samuel Gustafson.
Sweden's Last 5 Matches
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16/10/2023Belgium1Sweden1Euros Qualifiers
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16/11/2023Azerbaijan3Sweden0Euros Qualifiers
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19/11/2023Sweden2Estonia0Euros Qualifiers
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12/01/2024Sweden2Estonia1Friendlies
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21/03/2024Portugal5Sweden2Friendlies
Albania Team News
Eighty-cap goalkeeper Etrit Berisha was one of two withdrawals from the squad before the Chile loss, allowing Brentford number two Thomas Strakosha an increasingly rare start in goal as he struggles for domestic minutes in England.
Granada forward Myrto Uzuni also pulled out, and in his absence, Rey Manaj was selected to lead the line over Chelsea-owned Fulham striker Armando Broja.
Albania's Last 5 Matches
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12/10/2023Albania3Czechia0Euros Qualifiers
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17/10/2023Albania2Bulgaria0Friendlies
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17/11/2023Moldova1Albania1Euros Qualifiers
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20/11/2023Albania0Faroe Islands0Euros Qualifiers
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22/03/2024Albania0Chile3Friendlies
Sweden vs. Albania: Odds and Predictions
Main Prediction
1X2: 1
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