It has been a tough spring for Sweden, who have not been successful in World Cup qualifying. After the loss to Denmark on Friday, Sweden are away from the group victory that would have meant a direct place in the World Cup in Brazil next year.
This makes Tuesday night's match in Gothenburg almost meaningless on paper - even though the placement in the group affects the draw for the next Olympic qualifiers.
“Important match”
Above all, however, it is the last game for four months - and the last chance to get the game going before the playoff games this fall.
"It is clear that it was a huge disappointment both to lose the match and to know that the direct place for the World Cup is no longer there," says Stina Blackstenius about the loss against Denmark on Friday.
But I think we've come together very well as a group. We have an important match against Italy ahead of us as it's the last international match before the playoffs so it's still very important for us, and for confidence too.
Lost routine
After last year's European Championship, veteran centre-back Magdalena Eriksson, among others, left the national team. At the same time, the "blue and yellow" have had major injury problems during the spring, including at the back - but also with regular team captain Kosovare Asllani.
It was a contributing factor to the loss against Denmark on Friday, according to national team captain Tony Gustavsson.
We are not good enough in the mental attitude from the start, in a match like we have against Denmark with everything at stake,
says Tony Gustavsson.
And then you add to that, which you have to be honest about, that there is a lack of natural leadership that we usually have.
Against Italy – and in the playoff matches this fall – it's up to everyone to step up a little bit, notes Stina Blackstenius. At the same time, the national team can draw some inspiration from Sweden's men's national team, which made it to the World Cup despite a weak qualifying campaign.
"It shows that it can go that way too. Now we know that it will be a playoff and a slightly longer road. But there is nothing that says we could not move on from there," she says.
Europe has eleven places in next year's World Cup, as well as another possible place via a final, intercontinental, playoff.
Four direct places are taken by the group winners in the qualifying A-division, where Sweden played in the same group as Denmark, Italy and Serbia.
Seven additional places will be allocated via playoffs this fall. This means that Sweden still has a chance, despite the loss against Denmark on Friday.
To reach the World Cup via playoff, victory in two two-legged matches is required this fall (the first in early October and the second at the turn of November - December).
The seven highest-ranked playoff winners each receive a World Cup ticket. However, the eighth team must play another playoff, against a team from, for example, Asia or Africa, in February next year.
