Prediction: Victory at one-goal difference.
Stake: 7/5
Match date: July 10
Stadium: Augsburg
Ahead of tomorrow’s quarter final game in Augsburg, a lot of people are still surprised to see these two teams in this position. Both Sweden and Australia produced shock results (in a good way) in their last group games. Now that the two teams proved they could take on any adversary, no matter how big, will they be able to take on one another? And what will the outcome be then?
Sweden is a “regular” in the quarter finals. They’ve always reached at least this stage. In 2003 they got so far as the final, which they lost against Germany. After two, single-goal victories against modest teams such as Canada and Nigeria, the Swedish girls gave their Nordic fans what they came there for, smashing USA, the world’s best team, 2-1! Although they’re favorites ahead of the quarter finals, the Swedes shouldn’t be too drunk with their own glory, otherwise the Matildas will do to them what they’ve done to their Nordic neighbors, the Norwegians.
Looking at the Australian side, we see a pretty optimistic and determined team, with not much to lose. This is their second-ever qualification to the quarter finals, after the one in 2007. Further than this, no Matildas ever went. Though this is a chance to write history, the Aussies are aware that they are the lowest-ranked team in the quarter finals (ranked 11th in the world), and that they’re facing a far more technical and experienced adversary. But they can dream! And they can look back at what they achieved last year by winning the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, or more recently by coming back into the game and defeating World cup holders Norway.
Objectively speaking, the pressure is higher for the Swedes to win this one. They’re favorites at the bookies, but that doesn’t make them a safe bet. Observing their previous preformances, my football prediction and betting tip for this one is that the game will end at one goal difference. I’m thinking of a 2-1 or 1-0 for Sweden. So I’m going to bet 2 units on a one goal difference victory at 7/5 stakes!