Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s Nations League clash between Sweden and Azerbaijan, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Having booked an immediate return to League B, Sweden can play their final UEFA Nations League group game stress-free, as they welcome Azerbaijan to Solna on Tuesday.
While the Blagult have already confirmed top spot, their Azeri counterparts are sure to finish last in League C Group 1 and are at risk of relegation.
Match preview
After dominating their third-tier opponents this season, Sweden confirmed promotion on Saturday evening, seeing off the challenge of second-placed Slovakia by winning 2-1 on home turf.
The Swedes’ powerful front pair of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres both scored again, with the latter bolstering his already glowing reputation by becoming the 2024-25 Nations League’s joint-top scorer on five goals.
With such firepower to hand, it is no surprise that Jon Dahl Tomasson‘s side have sealed top spot with one game remaining, and they can afford to relax until World Cup qualifying kicks off next year.
Sweden would even have had a perfect record if they managed to retain a two-goal lead in Slovakia, who fought back to steal a point in Bratislava last month.
It all kicked off with a 3-1 away victory over Azerbaijan in September, when Isak and Gyokeres were both on target in Baku, and Tomasson’s troops must now wrap things up by meeting the same opponents on home turf.
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In their third successive League C campaign, Azerbaijan occupy last place in a particularly tough group, having picked up just one point from five fixtures so far.
Coming into this month’s finale, they had lost 3-1 to both Sweden and Estonia – and twice to Slovakia – so were faced with a must-win match on Saturday evening.
After failing to break down Estonia in Qabala, where they were held to a goalless draw despite dominating the ball, the Azeris could be bound for demotion to League D – Europe’s lowest level.
Two of the teams that finish last in their League C groups – those with the worst records after all six matches – will be relegated, and they sit bottom of that four-nation mini-league as things stand.
Having been hired earlier this year, veteran coach Fernando Santos has been unable to turn Azerbaijan’s fortunes around, and their last win came against Kazakhstan five months ago – ending that drought in Sweden will be a tall order.
Sweden Nations League form:
Sweden form (all competitions):
Azerbaijan Nations League form:
Azerbaijan form (all competitions):
Team News
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One of several changes expected to Sweden’s lineup will be enforced by injury, as Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof was forced off during Saturday’s win against Slovakia and could be set for another spell on the sidelines.
With promotion already wrapped up, Jon Dahl Tomasson can afford to rotate his squad, so the hosts’ potent attacking trio of Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Dejan Kulusevski may be broken up.
Tomasson drafted in Isac Lidberg – who has scored 10 goals in 12 club games this season – following a number of withdrawals, including Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga. The Darmstadt striker could join Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall in the side, if the Blagult’s boss decides to rest some weary legs.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan have been beset by injuries this month, with players such as Emin Mahmudov and Rustam Ahmadzada pulling out of the squad.
First-choice striker Mahir Emreli is back after serving suspension, though, and he could replace Qarabag’s Musa Gurbanli, who deputised at the weekend.
Experienced goalkeeper Mehdi Jannatov was dropped after shipping 11 goals in four Nations League matches, so Rza Jafarov should be handed his third cap after keeping a clean sheet against Estonia.
Sweden possible starting lineup:
Johansson; Starfelt, Hien, Gudmundsson; Holm, Karlstrom, Bergvall, Sema; Forsberg; Isak, Lidberg
Azerbaijan possible starting lineup:
Jafarov; Aliyev, Mustafazada, B. Huseynov, Mammadov, Cafarguliyev; Sheydayev, Nuriyev, Isayev, Bayramov; Emreli
We say: Sweden 3-0 Azerbaijan
Neither side has much to play for, so a straightforward Sweden win should be expected against opponents that have leaked lots of goals so far.
The hosts will sign off their brief stay in League C with a celebratory win, while Azerbaijan are surely bound for the Nations League’s lowest tier.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
