Bengaluru, June 17: Sweden are all set to lock horns with Slovakia at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg on the second matchday of Group E on Friday (June 18). Both teams came up with inspiring results in their opening games.
Sweden came up with a defensive masterclass against Spain as the game ended in a 0-0 stalemate with Sweden having their fair share of chances as well. The Swede have been brilliant in their buildup to the Euros as they are currently six games unbeaten dating back to a 4-2 loss against world champions France in the UEFA Nations League back in November 2020.
Meanwhile, Slovakia, also had a memorable opening game of the tournament as they defeated a pretty strong Poland side, that boasts Robert Lewandowski up front, with a 2-1 margin. They currently sit at the summit of Group E knowing that one point might be enough to secure them a place in the next round. Štefan Tarkovič's side are also on a six-game unbeaten run across all competitions and will aim to maintain this fine run of results.
Head to head record
Sweden have a solid head to head record against their next opponents remaining unbeaten in their five meetings against the Slovaks. The Swedes won three of those five games while the other two ended in stalemates. They last met in a friendly game back in October 2018, when John Guidetti and Albert Rusnák scored for the two nations as the game ended 1-1.
Key players
Sweden - Alexander Isak
Fleet-footed Swedish youngster Aleksander Isak is regarded as one of the biggest talents in Europe right now and is widely hailed as the 'Next Zlatan Ibrahimovic'. The 21-year-old did not disappoint in the opening game of the Euros against a mighty Spain side as the Spanish defenders struggled to cope with him.
Slovakia - Milan Skriniar
Slovakia are blessed with one of the very best central defenders of the game in the form of Milan Skriniar. The 26-year-old had a fantastic game against Poland as he not only led his defence excellently but also scored a fantastic goal that turned out to be the winner.
Expected lineups
Sweden: Robin Olsen; Mikael Lustig, Victor Lindelöf, Marcus Danielson, Ludwig Augustinsson; Sebastian Larsson, Kristoffer Olsson, Albin Ekdal, Emil Forsberg; Marcus Berg, Alexander Isak
Slovakia: Martin Dúbravka; Peter Pekarík, Ľubomír Šatka, Milan Škriniar, Tomáš Hubočan; Juraj Kucka, Jakub Hromada; Lukáš Haraslín, Marek Hamšík, Róbert Mak; Ondrej Duda.
Suggested Dream 11 lineup
Goalkeeper - Robin Olsen
Defenders - Ludwig Augustinsson, Milan Škriniar, Tomáš Hubočan, Mikael Lustig
Midfielders - Albin Ekdal, Emil Forsberg, Marek Hamšík, Róbert Mak, Kristoffer Olsson
Forwards - Alexander Isak
Best Choice For Captain And Vice-Captain
Alexander Isak and Emil Forsberg
Kick-off time in India and how to watch?
Date: June 18 (Friday), 2021
Time: 18:30 PM IST
TV Channels: Sony Ten 2/HD (English), Sony Ten 3/HD (Hindi), Sony Six/HD and Sony Ten 4/HD (Regional language)
Live Streaming: SonyLIV, Jio TV