“This team can deal with anything”: How Spain surpassed Sweden to reach their first Women’s World Cup final – tactical analysis

After a month of excitement in major stadia around Australia and New Zealand, the 2023 FIFA Womens World Cup is on the home straight, with the semi-finals currently taking centre stage and providing fans with great anticipation and enjoyment.

The first nations in the last four to go head-to-head were Spain and Sweden, who met at Aucklands Eden Park with the sole aim of sealing a place in Sundays final. It was always going to be a mouthwatering prospect to see them lock horns, given that both favour very different styles and tactics (Spain play a very possession-orientated game, whilst Sweden like to hit teams with counterattacks and well-executed transitions).

As this tactical analysis will show, the game itself was a slow burner, with Spain unable to get their key players into the game whilst Sweden failed to match their positive build-up play with quality in the final third.

However, in the end, it was Spain who secured a meeting with either Australia or England on Sunday, whilst Sweden were once again consigned to a semi-final exit and a third/fourth play-off fight.

Lineups

Spain head coach Jorge Vilda made two changes from the side that sent the Netherlands home on Saturday, with new Real Madrid Femenino full-back Oihane Hernández suspended after picking up too many yellow cards, whilst striker Esther González was named on the bench.

In their places, Jennifer Hermoso moved forward to lead the line, with Barcelona Femení playmaker Alexia Putellas taking over from her in the central third, whilst Real Madrids Olga Carmona came in at left-back and captained the team, with former Manchester United Women and new Barcelona player Ona Batlle moving across to her favoured right-back role.