Pitted together in the World Cup qualification process, Sweden and Hungary will renew their rivalry on Friday evening, having both failed to make the top two in Group 1 of the UEFA section of qualifiers.
Each had their opportunities to eliminate Portugal or finish ahead of Denmark, who finished atop the table, but ultimately lacked the goal scoring prowess of these sides. Now matched in Euro 2012 qualifying, the Netherlands are liable to provide the main opposition in Group E, with the Swedes and Hungarians battling it out for the right to finish second in a pool that also includes Finland, Moldova and San Marino.
Sweden’s recent form is good. In August they produced a solid display to dispose of a rather mundane Scotland side 3-0, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasting no time to announce his return to the international stage by opening the scoring early in that fixture. Emir Bajrami and Ola Toivonen also registered for the hosts.
With wins over Belarus, Bosnia, Wales and Oman since the turn of the year, Sweden’s record is blotted only by a draw against Syria in January, when they didn’t even have their full team available.
The Swedes, who boast a mix of the phenomenally experienced, such as Ibrahimovic, Anders Svensson and Olof Mellberg, and the up-and-coming, will therefore be confident of starting their road to Poland and Ukraine with three points.
Reverse Recent Trend
Hungary have reason to worry travelling to Sweden. During the World Cup qualifiers, the Swedes successfully did the double over the Eastern Europeans, which was a feat matched only by Portugal in what proved four fateful matches.
Twice the sides met in early September, as they do again, and twice Sweden came out on top 2-1. In Solna in 2008, goals from Kim Kallstrom and Samuel Holman rendered a late effort from Gergely Rudolf useless.
Almost a year late the story was played out once more in Budapest. Mellberg gave the Swedes and early lead, but on this occasion it seemed the Magyars may get something from the game when Szabolcs Huszti replied with a second half penalty. Ibrahimovic was Sweden’s saviour, finding the net deep into stoppage time to pick up three vital points for his side as the qualifying process reached its climax.
One of the world’s great forgotten footballing powers, World Cup qualifying at least offered fans of the Hungarian game hope that there may be better times ahead. Defeat on Friday evening would be a huge early body-blow, as the Netherlands’ superiority in this group means that every defeat will be especially pinching.
Prediction
Sweden 3-1 Hungary 
