Surprised by the numbers: “Had no idea”

Eleven meetings with Spain and zero Swedish losses.

The statistics set the Swedish players.

– I didn’t know that, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, who believes that the experience from previous championships weighs heavily.

Sweden has managed to reach the semi-finals in four consecutive championships. EC in England 2022, Olympics in Tokyo 2021, WC in France 2019 and now WC in Australia/New Zealand.

Spain, who now await in the semi-finals, have never been there.

Something that could be an advantage for the Swedish players before the fateful match.

– I think we can have a lot of experience there, precisely because many have played championships before. Then Spain, just like us, won in different ways, we won on penalties and those after extra time, says Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and is supported by Filippa Angeldahl.

– We have been here before and know what it means, so there can probably be a small advantage there, she says.

“There are a lot of emotions”
Nathalie Björn points out that it is above all nice for herself with the experience of having played semi-finals before a lot considering the tension that will be.

– It builds self-confidence and an image of what you know and what you can expect. I know the feeling when I walk in. So I think it can still give us a bit that we have that experience against when you haven’t played a semi-final before because it’s different.

– There are a lot of emotions and you know that it is a match from a final or a match from a bronze medal match. So there is a lot at stake and it is important to manage those feelings.

Shocked by the statistics
In total, Sweden and Spain have clashed eleven times before, mainly in EC and WC qualifiers. But also as recently as last autumn in Córdoba, a match that ended 1–1 after a goal by Rebecka Blomqvist.

But the fact is that Sweden has never lost against its upcoming semi-final opponents. –

– I didn’t even know that, says Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.

Nor did Filippa Angeldahl have a clue of the history between the teams.

– That’s nice to hear, I didn’t know about the statistics.

Rytting Kaneryd believes that if they repeat the performance from the quarter-finals, the streak can last.

– But I have a good feeling and know that if we play like we did against Japan and can build on something there, I think it will go well, she says.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS BETWEEN SWEDEN AND SPAIN
October 23, 1991, Palamos – EC qualifier 4–0

May 17, 1992, Borås – EC qualifier 1–1

May 12, 1996, Visby – EC qualifier 1–1

June 2, 1996, Gandia – EC qualifier 8–0

July 2, 1997, Karlskoga – EC 1–0

May 3, 1998, Motril – WC qualifier 2–1

May 24, 1998, Stockholm – WC qualifier 3–1

November 7, 1999, Plasencia – EC qualifier 5–2

June 11, 2000, Karlskoga – EC qualifier 7–0

January 23, 2002, Murcia – International 0–0

October 7, 2022, Córdoba – International 1-1

Source: Swedish Football Association