Published Mar 23, 6:27am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 23, 6:27am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Mar 23, 6:27am ET
Crucial World Cup qualification playoffs are set for Europe this week, as Sweden and Ukraine collide in the semi-finals on March 26.
Ukraine enjoyed a competitive Group D campaign, and they will be boosted by the returns of a number of key stars ahead of this clash with a misfiring Sweden.
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|
|---|---|
| Ukraine | +192 |
| The Draw | +216 |
| Sweden | +155 |
Despite ongoing conflict in their home country, which has forced Ukraine to play their home fixtures in neutral stadiums, the national side outperformed expectations to finish second to France in the Group D standings.
Plenty of confidence can be taken from their recent results, winning three of their last four, with their only defeat coming against the 2022 World Cup finalists.
A talented squad has been named for the crucial playoffs, which includes PSG defender Illia Zabarnyi and Girona striker Vladyslav Vanat.
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Sweden will be the favorite to progress from this playoff, but their qualification form shouldn’t be overlooked. Now coached by Graham Potter, the Swedes failed to win in six Group B fixtures, scoring just four goals and allowing 12.
In away matches, Sweden fell to defeats against Switzerland and Kosovo and played out a draw against Slovenia. Potter will be without a number of key first-team players, including influential forwards such as Alexander Isak and Dejan Kulusevski.
Therefore, additional pressure will be on Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres to make the difference in the final third.
| TOTAL | Ukraine | Sweden | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Goals | 10 | 6 | 4 |
Sweden’s performances haven’t been good enough throughout the qualification cycle, and their attacking output is a major issue. Therefore, Ukraine are the value play based on their performances in the group stage.
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Pick
Ukraine
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