Australia v Sweden betting tips: Matildas aim to waltz into final
Published:
Guide to Monday’s semi-final match
The women’s football tournament has reached the semi-final stage at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and we are taking a look at the Australia v Sweden betting tips.
Australia stunned Great Britain with a quarter-final extra-time win while Sweden dispatched hosts Japan with ease in their last-eight clash.
The semi-final takes place in the early hours of Monday morning as they vie for a place in the final in the National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan, on August 6.
Australia v Sweden match odds
Australia qualified for the knockout stage as one of two best third-place teams and they are the 4/1 underdog in the Australia v Sweden betting tips market.
It is predictably Chelsea forward Sam Kerr who has been the star for the Matildas.
The WSL golden boot winner has been in sparking form and scored four goals in the group stages before her late leveller and another in extra time broke Great Britain hearts in the quarter-finals.
Australia were two minutes from going out but Kerr was inexplicably allowed oceans of space inside the box from a free-kick and she sent the game into extra time.
Despite Ellen White’s hat-trick, Australia went through 4-3 thanks in part to Caroline Weir’s missed extra-time penalty, Mary Fowler’s long-range deflected effort and Kerr’s second, an excellent header that proved the winning goal.
Australia keeper Teagan Micah was also lucky to see a Keira Walsh hit the post early on and she made a couple of tremendous saves as well.
Australia were somewhat fortunate and are 7/1 to win but concede in the semi-final. They are also 7/1 outsiders to win the gold medal.
The Matildas face Sweden, who are favourites to win the match in 90 minutes at 4/6 and 7/4 second-favourites to win the gold.
Sweden were the only team to win all three games in the group stage – including a defeat of the Matildas – and they saw off hosts Japan with ease, beating them 3-1 in their quarter-final.
Goals from Magda Eriksson and Stina Blackstenius plus Kosovare Asllani’s penalty secured Sweden a 3-1 victory in Saitama.
Their 3-0 defeat of gold medal favourite USA in the opening group game was no fluke.
They boast a potent front line in Fridolina Rolfo, Blackstenius, Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson but their solid defence is anchored by Chelsea duo Eriksson and Jonna Andersson and Bayern Munich’s impressive Hanna Glas. They have conceded just three goals in four games.
Australia v Sweden head-to-head
Australia v Sweden betting tips stats show Sweden have not lost to Australia in their last six meetings, winning four and drawing two. It is 3/1 the semi-final ends in a draw after 90 minutes.
They last met in the second Olympics group game with Sweden comfortably winning 4-2, with a brace from Rolfo and one each for Lisa Hurtig and Blackstenius. Kerr scored one in each half for Australia.
Prior to that, they played out a goalless friendly in June. It is 14/1 the semi-final ends in a goalless draw.
Four of the last six meetings saw both sides find the net and it is 4/6 this is the case again.
Australia v Sweden team news
Australia were exhausted after their epic quarter-final and recovery time will be crucial for them.
They have no injury concerns and Sweden manager Peter Gerhardsson also has no selection headaches.
Australia v Sweden key battles
Kerr faces her Chelsea team-mates Eriksson and Andersson again and that pair have been largely rock-solid.
Yet she did net twice in their first meeting and it must be remembered Great Britain had the best defensive record of the teams in the last eight – and they conceded four!
The Australia v Sweden betting tips suggests Kerr is unlikely to be allowed the freedom she was given in the quarter-final and Sweden are 21/10 to win but concede.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
