Sweden vs Switzerland: Tre Kronor will deal with a comfortable opponent

Switzerland have now failed to beat Tre Kronor in nine head-to-head encounters in a row. Will Patrick Fischer's men be able to break their losing streak? We predict that the Swedes will once again be closer to success!

The Swedes are having a difficult time, and they have not won any titles for a long time. Moreover, at the last World Championships, they did not even make it out of the group, and at the Olympics, they finished in the final fourth place. Johan Garpenlov's last chance to prove himself as a Tre Kronor coach will be at the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup, his last tournament as the team's head coach. The Swiss began their Eurocup homestretch unsuccessfully, as they were beaten 1-2 by the Czech Republic in the first game. The Swedes scored the only goal 19 seconds into the third period.

The Swiss team is one of the hidden favorites in any major international tournament. Still, they did not make a serious name for themselves until 2013 and 2018, when they reached the finals of the world championships, staying with the silver medals. At the last Olympics, the Eidgenossen were left without a medal and crashed out against Finland 1-5 in the quarterfinals. Patrick Fischer's side has been preparing for the 2022 World Cup for some time, starting with six friendlies. They have won five of them, with their only defeat coming in a 2-4 draw with Germany. In their first game in the fourth leg of the European Tour, they sensationally defeated Suomi by 3:2, showing quality hockey.

Over the last decade and a half, the teams have played 15 head-to-head games. The Swedes have scored 13 wins, while the Swiss have been stronger in two games. The goal difference is also on the side of the Tre Kronor, 54-21. The last time the opponents met at the FIFA World Cup 2021, the Swedes won 7-0.

It's traditionally a tough game for Switzerland against the Tre Kronor, as the Eidgenossen have only won once in their last 13 head-to-head encounters, at the 2013 World Cup, before losing nine straight, and last year's World Cup saw them crushed by the Yellow and Blue, 0-7. Interestingly, the Red and Whites made it out of the group at that tournament, while the Swedes did not. Johan Garpenlov's charges will again be the clear favorites in the upcoming match. Besides, they will play at home, so we must wager on the Swedes' victory for 1.75.

It is unlikely that we should expect a goal feast from the upcoming battle. After all, there is still about a week before the start of the world championship, so hardly the teams of Sweden and Switzerland are in ideal form right now. Both coaches are still pondering the final line-ups of the teams, so the hockey players must make as few mistakes as possible now. With this in mind, a cautious and close battle is expected, so the best option for the prediction is Total Under 4.5 pucks for 2.25.

The Swedish team, led by Johan Garpenlov, plays pragmatic and goal-oriented hockey, which is not always easy. Nevertheless, the Tre Kronor continue to bend their game, so if they start to score, they play well on defense and sting on the counterattack. However, if the Yellow and Blue concede first, they rarely manage to turn the tide. As a result, in the last 11 games involving the Swedes, at least one of the teams has scored less than two goals on eight occasions, so a bet on "Each team will score more than 1.5 goals - No" for 2.02 is worth looking into.

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