Nordfeldt continues to gain confidence, just like during the playoff games in March.
“He played a big role in our playoff games and helped us win two very important games. I think after that he deserves the opportunity to play. He has been challenged by Jacob (Widell Zetterström) and Viktor (Johansson), which is normal, but at the same time they really support each other and I am very happy with how the goaltending group works together,” says Graham Potter.
Gabriel Gudmundsson is ready to play after catching a cold earlier this week.
“He’s been training the last two days, and everything has been going well. I think he can contribute on our left wing,” says Potter.
The super duo at its best
Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres are off to a great start.
“They haven’t had the opportunity to play together that much. Everyone is trying to understand how they work best together, and that has developed. It’s important that they enjoy their football and playing together, which I think they really do. They are both players at the very highest level and we want them to work well together and as part of the whole. There is no doubt about the quality they have as players,” says the national captain.
Team captain Victor Nilsson Lindelöf is the only one on the team who has previously played a World Cup match.
Ten World Cup debutants
The other ten players are making their World Cup debuts.
Sweden’s starting eleven: 23 Kristoffer Nordfeldt – 21 Alexander Bernhardsson, 2 Gustaf Lagerbielke, 4 Isak Hien, 3 Victor Nilsson Lindelöf, 5 Gabriel Gudmundsson – 10 Benjamin Nygren, 16 Jesper Karlström, 18 Yasin Ayari – 17 Viktor Gyökeres, 9 Alexander Isak.
Substitutes: 1 Jacob Widell Zetterström (GK), 6 Herman Johansson, 7 Lucas Bergvall, 8 Daniel Svensson, 11 Anthony Elanga, 12 Viktor Johansson (GK), 13 Ken Sema, 14 Hjalmar Ekdal, 15 Carl Starfelt, 19 Mattias Svanberg, 20 Eric Smith, 22 Besfort Zeneli, 24 Elliot Stroud, 25 Gustaf Nilsson, 26 Taha Ali.
The match kicks off at 4:00.
