A direct spot for the European Championship 2025 is still within reach for Sweden. But after 1–2 against France in Dijon, the prerequisites are crystal clear.
Victory against England on Tuesday is a must to secure a European Championship ticket.
Since England simultaneously defeated Ireland with 2–1, anything less than three Swedish points at Gamla Ullevi will not be enough to take the second direct spot to the European Championship behind France.
The fact that Tuesday's match, the last in the qualifying round, will be decisive was already known to Sweden before the meeting with France – and it showed.
National team captain Peter Gerhardsson acknowledged even before that he had many different things to consider, not least the threat of suspension hanging over six of his players ahead of the crucial qualifying finale against England on Tuesday.
There was a lot to think about. That's why we chose not to play four warned players. So now they will be available (against England), says Gerhardsson.
Asllani on the bench
Of the warned players, only Linda Sembrant and Jonna Andersson got a spot in the starting eleven, while among others Kosovare Asllani and Magdalena Eriksson were completely rested.
In came also young Milan striker Evelyn Ijeh, who thus got to make her debut during her first A-national team gathering.
The unexpected Swedish starting eleven had little to set against the star-studded French team in the first half. When the home team took the lead, it was not at all illogical – even if the goal scorer was unexpected.
On 74 national team appearances, Sakina Karchaoui had scored one goal, and that on a penalty.
Her second full hit in the French jersey sparked. The ball rolled back towards the 28-year-old after a corner and the left-back from Paris Saint-Germain did what no unaccustomed goal scorers usually do and slammed in 1–0 in Zecira Musovic's far post from about 25 meters out.
"Sour"
Sweden had a hard time getting any order on the game, didn't get to any really sharp scoring chances at all, and when France took the lead, the prognosis looked bleak.
Yet the 1–1 goal came at the beginning of the second half.
Jonna Andersson hit a corner that touched a French skull before the ball landed at Josefine Rybrink's feet. In her first competitive national team start, the Häcken defender scored her first national team goal.
Very cool. Really fun to score your first goal. At the same time, it's also sour that it doesn't mean that much in this match anyway, not getting any points, says Rybrink.
The match opened up, spaces were not lacking in any way, and the question was which of the teams would utilize the opportunities best when they finally emerged.
The answer was France.
Strong at home
Marie-Antoinette Katoto, also from PSG, held herself forward on a new French corner, poking in 2–1. It was her 30th goal on 40 national team appearances and gave the French women a spot in next year's European Championship in Switzerland.
Sweden must recharge ahead of Tuesday's decisive match at a packed Gamla Ullevi.
We know that we are strong at home on Ullevi. We made a very good performance against England away last time (1–1 in April). We'll take the feeling from that match with us, says Josefine Rybrink.
