Friendly Matches

Jun 10, 2025 at 6pm UK

Sweden vs Algeria

Match preview

Having suffered back-to-back defeats in last year's June window, Sweden seem to be changing the narrative with a winning start this time.

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s team go into Tuesday’s match on the back of a 2-0 away win against Hungary last Friday. Given that they have not achieved a perfect record in June for over a decade, this current run feels particularly significant.

Sweden are in electric form, having won seven of their last nine matches across all competitions (D1, L1), including a 5-1 demolition of Northern Ireland back in March.

Their recent UEFA Nations League campaign ended on a high, with the Blue and Yellows sealing top spot in Group C with five victories and a single draw. This result confirms their promotion to the second tier.

With a World Cup qualifier against Slovakia scheduled for September, this fixture provides an opportunity for the team to fine-tune their performance under their Danish manager, who has boosted their confidence.

Algeria, on the other hand, have already begun their journey to the 2026 tournament, and Vladimir Petkovic’s team have so far handled their business in the African preliminaries with clinical ease.

The Greens are comfortably top of Group B with five wins and one loss from six matches, putting them three points ahead of second-placed Mozambique.

Their only defeat came a year ago in a 2-1 home loss to Guinea, but Algeria have since gone twelve matches unbeaten across all competitions.

This run includes a routine 2–0 triumph over Tanzania in last Thursday’s friendly, as well as ten wins.

Algeria will be looking to maintain their momentum as they enter the final stage of the qualifiers, with a double-header against Botswana and Guinea in September, followed by fixtures against Somalia and Uganda in October.

Recent Performance

Sweden form (all competitions):WWWLWW

Algeria form (all competitions):WWWDWW

Team News

Sweden’s headline-grabbing attacking duo, Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak, were absent, but this did little to halt their progress. Benjamin Nygren stepped into the spotlight with a well-taken goal in Budapest.

Isak’s injury at the end of the 2023–24 season with Newcastle has ruled him out of the current squad, while Gyökeres was withdrawn due to fitness concerns and has not played for the national side since scoring four goals against Azerbaijan last November.

A 4-4-2 system was deployed to good effect last time, and the same formation is expected again, with Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga likely to partner Nygren in attack.

On the other hand, the Algerian team will have to play without Rayan Ait Nouri as the Wolves defender left the training camp on Thursday to go to Manchester City for a medical and completed his signing with the club in the past few days.

Ramiz Zerrouki remained on the bench against Rwanda last time, in his return to the national team since November. However, the 27-year-old midfielder may be handed a starting role in Solna.

Captain Riyad Mahrez made his 102^(nd) appearance for the Greens in that Rwanda match, bringing him within three caps of equalling the record held by Aissa Mandi.

Possible starting lineup

Sweden possible starting lineup:

Olsen; Gudmundsson, Hien, Ekdai; Svensson, Ayari, Saletros, Larsson, Bernhardsson; Elanga, Nygren

Algeria possible starting lineup:

Benbot; Atal, Tougai, Bensebaini, Hadjam; Zerrouki, Maza, Bentaleb; Mahrez, Bounedjah