lig. It has become a mountain to climb, a red wall to be demolished and the last outpost to get on its knees.
In the end, it was impossible to miss.
A year ago, Linda Sembrant with a knee injury was forced to watch the Olympics from home, and when Lee had the chance, she made sure to keep the Swedish European Commission’s dream alive.
Now England is waiting in England, can it get any better?
After two short matches in the European Group quarter-finals, Sweden’s meeting with Belgium will be no exception, even if everything written before the match indicates otherwise.
In only the second major tournament and in their first playoff, Belgium ranked behind Sweden (19 to 2) and there were more numbers to point out.
Authentic Swedish professionals are pitted against the owner of a bouncy castle, two students and a teacher. Seven players in Belgium make a living from football, the rest are part-time professionals, but many of them took extra time off before the tournament, meaning national captain Yves Cernelles was able to put his team together for more than a month. .
Peter Gerhardsson seemed a little jealous about this particular factor before the game, the opportunity to build his national team as a club team. The collective family played with hearts applauding in unison. Just as in the group stage, the Belgians caught fire for their mission. And just as in the group stage, the margins were on their side this evening.
Sweden had to make many changes
Sweden should have sealed the match in the first half, when Kosovare Aslani (again!) played against Freestyle Stena Blackstein at the rear. But for the fifth time for the Swedish side, VAR has made the decision and there is reason to discuss another unfair factor surrounding women’s football. Half of the cameras are when the guys are playing. yes. Look there, what a surprise.
But it had to be a Swedish target regardless. The opportunities were there. But not efficiency, as was often the case before.
Sweden has reached a rainy state after several days of uncertainty over the coronavirus. The rest at Cardin Park were hit by Hannah Glass, Jonah Anderson and Emma Kohlberg. Without full-backs Glass and Anderson, as well as quarterback Caroline Seeger, who had a heel injury, Peter Gerhardsson had to make several changes.
We understood Amanda Ellstedt could be an option as a right back in a training session earlier this week. What we were probably thinking about was what kind of full-back she would be.
When asked what PSG’s Peter Gerhardsson would take out as a replacement for Hannah Glass, he alluded to a role “we might find out” and referenced a Potsdam reference.
Belgian defenders swarmed like a swarm of bees
Ukrainian referee Katerina Monzul, who fled Kharkiv after the war broke out, barely had time to start the match before Amanda Elastest exploded into the business that left us dazed.
One moment the center back, the next net striker. Amanda Elistest, 1.78 cm tall, like a leopard in search of her prey, crept behind the Belgian defender Davina Veltins, 28 centimeters shorter. Ilstedt launched attack after attack, leaving areas behind but shook Belgium’s left flank.
A quarter of an hour later, it hit the far post and the head was in, Stena Blacksteinus rebounded, Sweden could have had the oxygen and Peter Gerhardsson would have been considered a genius.
The Swedish right wing opened up central areas. When two Belgian midfielders fell and moved elsewhere, Philippa Engeldahl had to emerge and drift freely to the shooting position.
She had two more similar chances in the first half as the Belgian teams had oceans in between. The midfielder grew a few centimeters after the goals against Portugal and the shot was sharp.
But that was also Nikki Everard against Belgium. Renting castles daily, this fantastic goalkeeper had a mental presence, an explosion and the ability to grab the finishing touches that Sweden had.
Around her, the Belgian defenders swarmed like a swarm of black bees. Prone to standing defensive constantly, eager to rebound and ready to block shots and passes with total sacrifice.
Now England is waiting…
Sweden tried to combine the front, Sweden fed corner kicks after corners and unleashed shots from distance. But after each end, the Belgian defenders emerged victorious from the duels or Evard was on the ball. The Swedes commented many times. Johanna Retting-Kannerd won by firing the ball faster, when the first draw was successful, Fridolina Rulfo sacrificed a bit offensively as Kosovare Aslani started to advance.
In the second half we sat and waited. Belgium responded when opportunities came, but weren’t strong enough with the trio of Janis Cayman, Tyne de Kinney and Tessa Wallart. We are still waiting. In the final eleven. The famous Peter Gerhardson.
He never came. And when the match was about to get in overtime, the situation came to a standstill and the fans poured in in the rain, that last chance came.
Angle Natalie Bjorn, another rescue, came back and then just stood there.
Linda Cimbrandt Who missed the Olympics due to a severe knee injury. The hours in the gym with the physiotherapist and rehabilitation therapist were all worth it.
Sweden had not lost in 33 matches before meeting Belgium.
That won’t happen tonight either.
Now England is waiting. Then more tip is required. We will come back to that.
