World Cup NOW: Sweden dominates Italy on set piece opportunities

Last updated: 2023/07/29 at 10:49 AM

BigP Published July 29, 2023

Sweden demolished Italy on Saturday in a 5-0 blowout and punched their ticket to the knockout round as the top team in Group G in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

After a game with rapid-fire, back-to-back goals, it is clear that Sweden is a contender to be taken seriously. The “World Cup NOW” crew — Jimmy Conrad, Leslie Osbourne, Heather O’Reilly — discuss how Sweden leaned into its strengths, namely set pieces, to capitalize on their opportunities and put on a clinic against the Italians. They also debate whether Italy will be able to bounce back and show strong going forward after a tough loss.

‘World Cup NOW’ crew recaps Sweden vs. Italy

Osbourne: “Set pieces, set pieces, set pieces. … Three out of five goals on set pieces, this team dominates in the air, they’re so hard to play against. … Sweden was in control of this game. Italy was flattened when they got their first goal, and they never really came back to life.”

Conrad: “Those are the fine margins, especially at this highest level. When you get to this point, these types of plays can make the difference, and they made about seventeen of these plays.”

O’Reilly: “You have to do what you’re great at, and Sweden did what they are great at today. … You put the ball in and they will make something of it. I think that that’s a skill, and it’s important to be great at that. Not only that delivery, but also getting to the end line and creating corner kicks, it’s part of their game plan.”

Osbourne: “You [Italy] gotta regroup. And how you respond and take it — it was a tough loss — but you gotta put it behind you and you gotta come out against a South African side that is very organized and very good in transition and also has attacking personalities.”

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