Sweden Back on Track After Narrow Win Over Serbia

Blackstenius strike enough as Sweden grind out Serbia win

  

Sweden edged Serbia 1-0 in Solna thanks to Blackstenius, but a laboured display raises concerns ahead of decisive June qualifiers vs Denmark and Italy...

Blackstenius strike enough for unconvincing Sweden to get past Serbia...

Sweden got their 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying campaign back on track, but they were far from convincing again in a 1-0 win over Serbia at Strawberry Arena in Solna.

After a 2-1 defeat to Denmark four days earlier, Sweden could not afford a repeat of their goalless draw away to Serbia in early March. Tony Gustavsson largely stuck with the XI that faced the Danes, recalling only Hanna Lundqvist and Matilda Vinberg.

The first half proved another frustrating one for the hosts, who had over 80% possession but managed only as many shots on target - three - as their visitors, though that hardly told the full story.

All three of Sweden’s efforts on goal came from Filippa Angeldahl, who first tested Milica Kostic inside the opening minute. When the keeper wasn’t there to bail Serbia out, the woodwork was, with Angeldahl and Stina Blackstenius both denied by the frame of the goal.

At half-time, news came through that Denmark had been held to a 0-0 draw by Italy, meaning a win would move Sweden back to within a point of the group leaders.

It’s hard to know if that news gave them a lift, but the game’s only goal came within five minutes of the restart.

Vinberg slid a neat pass through the heart of the Serbian defence to Blackstenius, and the Arsenal striker took one touch to set herself before calmly rolling it past Kostic into the bottom corner.

𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗧𝗜𝗗

Tre viktiga poäng in på kontot ✔️

🇸🇪 1–0 🇷🇸 pic.twitter.com/PVmtmFLctP

— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) April 18, 2026

It was no less than Sweden deserved for their dominance, with Blackstenius hitting the woodwork again just after the hour. But with a Vinberg effort the only other shot on target from either side in the second half, there will be concern that Blagult didn’t do more with the ball against weaker opposition.

A further positive came when Johanna Rytting Kaneryd was introduced with 28 minutes left as she continues her return from injury, but ultimately it was job done for Sweden, who move onto seven points from four games with the 1-0 win.

Their Group A1 campaign wraps up in June with what look like must-win games away to Denmark and at home to Italy if they are to claim the automatic qualification spot. Otherwise, they’ll have to go through the playoffs to reach Brazil.