Sweden vs Belarus Preview, Prediction and Betting Tips: Sweden looking good for more points at home

13:00 Saturday 25 March 2017

Simon Harrison

Sweden come into the game in third place in World Cup Qualification Group A, after picking up wins against Bulgaria and Luxembourg, as well as a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands. Belarus have not been in such good form, picking up just two points, but the visitors did manage a 0-0 stalemate with France back in September.

Match Preview

The away side are in danger of becoming one of the group's whipping boys, with their opponents for the weekend having very different priorities after missing out on even qualifying for the 2016 European Championship. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is no longer an active international, putting pressure on the likes of Ola Toivonen and John Guidetti to step up to the plate in his absence.

-Sweden 1-1 Netherlands

-Luxembourg 0-1 Sweden

-Sweden 3-0 Bulgaria

-France 2-1 Sweden

The away side have scored just two goals in their opening four qualifiers, while Sweden have conceded just three, pointing in the direction of the home nation keeping the pressure on second-placed Oranje - who are only above them on goal difference.

Given that Sweden are in with a fighting chance of going through in Group A, while Belarus sit second-bottom, the extra motivation should be with Janne Andersson's men. The underdogs draw with France, however, does give them something to hold onto ahead of a tough visit to Scandinavia.

-Belarus 0-0 France

-Netherlands 4-1 Belarus

-Belarus 1-1 Luxembourg

-Bulgaria 1-0 Belarus

Betting Advice

Seb Larsson is back in the squad for the hosts, after recovering from a knee injury in December to get regular league action for Sunderland in the Premier League, but John Guidetti is out injured with a knee problem picked up in Celta Vigo's 1-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna at the weekend. Emil Forsberg should be the main threat for Sweden.

Belarus are missing three midfielders due to injury. Sergey Krivets, Sergey Balanovich and Pavel Nyakhaychyk are out, with things not looking good for a team who struggle to score goals even when they have a full squad to choose from.

Sweden are unbeaten at home so far in this edition of World Cup qualifying, scoring four times and conceding just once, while Belarus haven't pick up anything other than a defeat on the road in the build-up to this major tournament since April 2009, making William Hill's odds of 1.5 on a victory for Andersson's side look generous.

Our Tip for Best Odds

-Sweden home win: William Hill (1.53)