Pia Sundhage has announced her Sweden squad for the friendly against Scotland on January 26 at Prioritet Serneke Arena, Gothenburg.
It will be the first match in the year 2016 for the team and will serve as preparation for the Olympic qualifying tournament between 2-9 March in the Netherlands, where they will face the Dutch as well as Switzerland and Norway. Only the winner of the tournament will play at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Debutants called with regulars missing
Goalkeeper Emelie Lundberg and defender Petra Andersson have received their first call-ups to the senior squad, both part of the Eskilstuna United DFF side who finished second in the Damallsvenskan in 2015. Both are also 22-years-old and have played for Sweden's youth teams.
Malin Diaz and Lina Hurtig, however, were not called up because of injury problems, with them to be spared for this match in order to be 100% recovered for the Olympic qualifiers.
Kosovare Asllani, who left Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week, was not called by Sundhage either.
After terminating her contract in France, the forward spoke of her interest in playing in a new league and cited the FAWSL as a possible destination, before adding that she wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't in the team as she looked for a new club.
Sundhage to see out contract
Despite speculation that the coach would leave her role after Sweden's elimination in the round of 16 of the FIFA Women's World Cup, Sundhage remains manager of the national team and will completely fulfill her contract until the end of 2016, even if she does not qualify for the Olympics.
Sundhage told Swedish media that has no interest in staying as a coach to maybe go to another major tournament, even with Euro 2017 coming up. The coach led Sweden, which hosted the tournament, to the semifinals at Euro 2013 when they were eliminated by Germany, who became champions.
Full Sweden WNT squad to play against Scotland:
Goalkeepers: Hilda Carlén (Piteå IF), Hedvig Lindahl (Chelsea Ladies FC) and Emelie Lundberg (Eskilstuna United DFF).
Defenders: Emma Berglund (FC Rosengård), Magdalena Eriksson (Linköpings FC), Nilla Fischer (VfL Wolfsburg), Amanda Ilestedt (FC Rosengård), Lina Nilsson (FC Rosengård), Elin Rubensson (Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC), Jessica Samuelsson (Linköpings FC), Linda Sembrant (Montpellier Hérault SC) and Petra Andersson (Eskilstuna United DFF).
Midfielders: Emilia Appelqvist (Piteå IF), Sofia Jakobsson (Montpellier Hérault SC), Lisa Dahlkvist (Paris Saint Germain), Pauline Hammarlund (Piteå IF), Jenny Hjohlman (Umeå IK FF), Caroline Seger (Paris Saint-Germain FC) and Josefin Johansson (Piteå IF).
Forwards: Stina Blackstenius (Linköpings FC), Fridolina Rolfö (Linköpings FC), Lotta Schelin (Olympique Lyonnais) and Olivia Schough (Eskilstuna United DFF).