Preview: Sweden vs. Iceland - prediction, team news, lineups

Both nations failed to grace Qatar's end-of-year winter World Cup spectacle and will be hoping to get back on track ahead of the 2024 European Championship qualification phase.

Match preview

Sweden culminated a disappointing 2022-23 Nations League campaign with relegation to the third tier of UEFA's newest competition following their last-place finish in League B Group 4.

Andersson's side registered only one victory from six matches during that painful period and will be glad to take a break from high-stakes action for a while.

The Blue and Yellow were last seen in competitive mode against Slovenia on September 27, as Emil Forsberg's 42nd-minute strike cancelled out Benjamin Sesko's opener in a 1-1 draw in the Swedish capital.

However, Sweden restored an aura of confidence in the dressing room with a 2-0 win over Scandinavian rivals Finland on Tuesday, courtesy of a goal in either half from Christoffer Nyman and Joel Asoro.

Despite experiencing a recent purple patch, ominously for Iceland, Sweden are undefeated in their last seven meetings across all formats dating back to August 2000 - with their previous clash climaxing in a 2-2 draw four years ago.

Arnar Vidarsson's side will make the footballing expedition to Portugal full of confidence after lifting their maiden Baltic Cup on November 19 following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Latvia.

In the process, Iceland became the first-ever visiting country to lift the four-nation trophy since the competition's inception in 1928.

Our Boys come into the match on the back of a 1-1 draw against Estonia at the Estadio da Nora on Sunday after Andri Gudjohnsen salvaged a share of the spoils deep into the second half.

Despite their disheartening recent head-to-head record, Iceland will hope to register a morale-boosting win before they travel to the Western Balkans to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening 2024 Euros qualification encounter on March 23.

Sweden form (all competitions):

L

L

L

D

W

W

Iceland friendly form:

D

Iceland form (all competitions):

D

W

L

W

W

D

Team News

Following his first-half strike on Tuesday evening, Swedish striker Christoffer Nyman is expected to start up front with either Moustafa Zeidan or Joel Asoro, with the latter vying for a place in the starting XI after finding the back of the net against Finland.

Supporting the likely front-pairing of Nyman and Asoro should be the same midfield quartet of Alexander Bernhardsson, Hugo Larsson, Samuel Gustafson and Yasin Ayari, barring any injuries.

Following on from victory on Monday evening, it is unlikely that Janne Andersson will want to make many changes to his 11, but could utilise the second half to give all of his travelling Blue and Yellow squad playing time in Portugal.

Norway manager Arnar Vidarsson will likely again select the same defensive reinforcements as against Estonia, with Victor Palsson, Damir Muminovic, Robert Thorkelsson and Valgeir Lunddal Fridriksson all expected to start at the Estadio Algarve.

After scoring a late leveller on Sunday, Andri Gudjohnsen should again lead the line alongside Nokkvi Thorisson.

Sweden possible starting lineup:

Wahlstedt; Boman, Eriksson, Ekdal, Persson; Bernhardsson, Larsson, Gustafson, Ayari; Asoro, Nyman

Iceland possible starting lineup:

Gunnarsson; Palsson, Thorkelsson, Muminovic; Fridriksson; Sigurdsson, Magnusson, Ingason, Andrason; Gudjohnsen, Thorisson

We say: Sweden 1-1 Iceland

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