STAR PREVIEW: Sweden U21 v England U21

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]omething’s not right….. No Royal Ascot today !!

Back to the football for the column and Sweden U21 v England U21 at 5pm.

It’s not the easiest game to call and it would be no surprise to see a draw as it was when they last met in 2009.

Sweden are coming into this on the back of a win, unlike England who found Portugal 1-0 too good. Sweden managed to beat Italy 2-1 despite playing around 50 minutes with 10 men. It was a good effort but also one that might have taken quite a bit out of Sweden at the start of the Group phase of the tournament.

There’s a little bit of needle in the match too to spice things up.

Sweden left-back Ludwig Augustinsson said England’s players are “a bit more expensive than what they are worth”.

England boss Gareth Southgate countered that a Sweden player calling England “overrated” will motivate his side further.

The England U21’s won this tournament in 1982 and 1984 but have gone out of the Group stage in the last two tournaments. That will become three if they lose in Olomouc – unless Italy beat Portugal at 7:45pm.

Sweden U21 v England U21
UEFA Under-21 Championship Group Stage
5pm BT SPORT

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
Jun 2009 Euro U21 Finals England U21 3-3 Sweden U21

The early money with Star Sports was all for England U21 but I can’t be backing them at odds-on and am sticking with the draw at around 11/4.

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