July 4 – Denmark will be out to restore some Nordic pride tonight as they face neighbours Sweden in Geneva, in their opening Group C clash. The scars from their last meeting in June’s Nations League are still fresh — a bruising 6-1 defeat in Solna where Sweden’s Stina Blackstenius netted a hat-trick, including a goal inside the opening minute.
Sweden come in as favourites, unbeaten since their loss to France last July and buoyed by a recent 2-0 win over Norway. Having topped a tough Nations League group ahead of Italy, Peter Gerhardsson’s squad arrive with momentum, cohesion, and confidence.
Familiarity will be a theme on the pitch. Denmark striker Signe Bruun and Swedish midfielder Filippa Angeldahl share a dressing room at Real Madrid, while Denmark captain Pernille Harder is set to go head-to-head with her partner and Sweden’s skipper, Magdalena Eriksson – both key figures at Bayern Munich.
With two past Women’s EURO openers between these teams ending in 1-1 draws (in 2005 and 2013), expect a tightly contested match, layered with personal rivalries and regional stakes.
Denmark coach Andrée Jeglertz stressed that his team will need to start fast in tonight’s Group C opening. He said: “The start of the match is key. We played them some months ago and had quite a poor start there. To grow into the game will be important for us – to get this good feeling in the beginning and then grow, but also there are parts of believing in what we have been talking about and what we have been working on.”
Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson teased an edge of unpredictability ahead of the tie. He said: “We do change things around quite a lot. I don’t like to use the word ‘adapt’, because it sounds a bit defensive. I prefer to say that we aim to make it more difficult for the opponents.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1751933764labto1751933764ofdlr1751933764owedi1751933764sni@g1751933764niwe.1751933764yrrah1751933764