Pia Sundhage has named her Sweden squad for upcoming Algarve Cup.
Options in attack
With very few changes to the squad named for the January training camp and friendlies last month, the biggest interest lays at the front of attack as Pia Sundhage has little time to find a replacement for the injured Sofia Jakobsson. In place both Lina Hurtig and Mimmi Larsson have been called up, though neither can offer quite what Jakobsson can, Larsson – who netted 12 times for Eskilstuna over the 2016 season – seems like a more natural runner and would fit a counter-attacking style more.
That being said, Hurtig will give the Swedish team something different, the 21 year-old long having promised to be the next big thing in Sweden and only hindered by persistent injuries. Referring to Larsson as having quick feet, Sundhage expects the Eskilstuna woman to be “very good” for their “attacking game,” whilst in the coach’s eyes, Hurtig is “intelligent and skilled,” an “exciting” player for the future.
Although she’s been named the initial prognosis from Bayern Munich would suggest that Fridolina Rolfö’s inclusion is more about harmony for Sundhage. With the attacker only expected back in training at the start of March it makes sense, given how the Swedish team functioned at the Rio Olympics, for their coach to want to keep as many of the team together as possible, Rolfö a shoe-in to make the grade for the final Euro 2017 squad. Togetherness vital for the success of the team.
With smaller squad than allowed for the La Manga friendlies there were always going to be players dropped and Eskilstuna’s Emelie Lundberg and Petra Andersson miss out so too, Djurgårdens’ Katrin Schmidt and Örebro’s uncapped Michelle De Jongh whilst Jakobsson and Emilia Appelqvist both miss out having suffered ACL injuries this year.
Full squad
Goalkeepers: Hilda Carlén (Piteå), Hedvig Lindahl (Chelsea), Zecira Musovic (Rosengård).
Defenders: Jonna Andersson (Linköping), Emma Berglund (Rosengård), Magdalena Eriksson (Linköping), Nilla Fischer (Wolfsburg), Hanna Glas (Eskilstuna), Hanne Gråhns (Örebro), Jessica Samuelsson (Linköping), Linda Sembrant (Montpellier).
Midfielders: Lisa Dahlkvist (Örebro), Hanna Folkesson (Rosengård), Elin Rubensson (Kopparbergs/Göteborg), Olivia Schough (Eskilstuna United), Caroline Seger (Olympique Lyonnais).
Forwards: Kosovare Asllani (Manchester City), Stina Blackstenius (Montpellier), Pauline Hammarlund (Kopparbergs/Göteborg), Lina Hurtig (Linköping), Mimmi Larsson (Eskilstuna United), Fridolina Rolfö (Bayern München), Lotta Schelin (Rosengård).