The 26-year-old shakes his head when the latest gathering is mentioned. Two away matches gave one point (2–2 against Slovenia and 0–2 against Kosovo) – and an incredibly tough road to the World Championship 2026.
Such blunders happen sometimes, but we had not hoped to get it in a World Championship qualifying match, says Gabriel Gudmundsson, whose career has taken him to the Premier League club Leeds.
Everything is still alive. It's just about winning every match that's left, that's what we're focusing on.
”Make some adjustments”
How can you use the disappointment from the last gathering to this match?
The best way is to play at home, against a good team.
We would have done it better then and there, but we know what is expected of us now. Switzerland is a good team, we make some adjustments and hope that we can bring it out too.
What are you adjusting for something?
We need to be a little extra careful back there, stay with someone. We'll see, I don't want to reveal too much. We will do what we are good at, as we have shown in all matches – yes, except against Kosovo.
Switzerland comes to the Strawberry arena with a clear grip on the direct spot to the finals in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The team has started the qualifying match strongly, won two straight matches and also has an impressive 7–0 goal difference.
However, the Swiss start does not seem to scare anyone in Sweden's squad.
”Incredibly pumped”
It's a good team with good players in all positions, but we feel that we are also a good team, especially at home, says Gudmundsson, who means that the Swedish national team only has three points in sight when the match kicks off at 20.45 on Friday.
We go into it the same way we do to all matches, we want to win. I think it will be a good match, home ground, sold out. We are incredibly pumped. I think it will be a good pressure and it's probably needed against a good Switzerland.
Alexander Bernhardsson:
It's great that people come here and support us. We want to win the match together with the supporters, says the midfielder from the German Holstein Kiel.
When it's sold out here and everyone wants us to move forward, it gives extra energy and push to us on the pitch. It's great that they come and support us.
Sweden-Switzerland kicks off at 20.45 tonight at the Strawberry arena in Solna.
