Gaint killers Sweden ready for the big show against Spain in the first semifinal of the women’s world cup semi final.
High-scoring Spain and physical set-piece specialists Sweden will vie for a spot in the final on Tuesday at Auckland’s Eden Park, setting up a showdown in Sydney with either co-hosts Australia or European champions England for the chance to be crowned a first-time World Cup winner.
La Roja’s only previous semi-final appearance at a major tournament was at the 1997 Euros. They made their World Cup debut in 2015, and their best result prior to this tournament was a last 16 exit four years ago.
After seeing off 2019 runners-up the Netherlands, they are now one win away from a first final and have scored 15 goals in the process, less than a year after 15 players staged a revolt against long-serving coach Jorge Vilda and threatened to quit unless changes were made. Vilda was ultimately backed by the federation in the dispute and only three of the 15 players made it to the World Cup squad.
Sweden are the highest-ranked nation remaining – at world number three – and are appearing in their fifth World Cup semi-final. They have played in all nine editions but only reached the final once, when they lost to Germany in 2003.
The Scandinavians have not won a major trophy since the inaugural 1984 Euros when only four teams took part. They also reached the semi-finals of last year’s Euros and the 2019 World Cup and have been runners-up at the last two Olympics.
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