How Sweden’s set pieces could help them win the World Cup

By the finish, Italy knew what was coming. They simply could not cease it. Sweden left-back Jonna Andersson’s in-swinging corners from the proper proved their undoing each time. Andersson’s deliveries had been answerable for three of Sweden’s objectives as they beat the Azurre 5-0 at Wellington Regional Stadium final week.

At the identical venue, a couple of days earlier, one other Andersson nook had led to a ninetieth minute winner in opposition to South Africa. Amanda Ilestedt, the 5-foot-10 centre-back, who has simply swapped Paris Saint-Germain for Arsenal, had headed in three of the objectives, rising as a shock contender for the Golden Boot in Australia and New Zealand.

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“I hope Amanda goes all the way and does win it,” the Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson, solely half-joking, smirked after his aspect’s win over Italy.

In complete, 4 of Sweden’s seven objectives at the event have come from corners. Their success from dead-balls is a part of a wider pattern at the World Cup that may seemingly be more and more necessary in the knockout rounds. Colombia’s dramatic winner in opposition to Germany got here from a nook, as did the United States’ leveller in opposition to Netherlands. Germany scored from three corners as they hammered Morocco final week.

After the first 34 video games — two rounds of group video games and the remaining video games in Group A — a complete of 19 objectives had been scored from corners. That represents 0.55 objectives per sport and a dramatic rise from earlier tournaments. It has already surpassed the 16 corners scored in 52 video games throughout the 2019 event in France, a median of 0.3 objectives from corners per match. That determine is about the common at earlier finals. There had been 19 objectives from corners in 52 video games in 2015 (0.36) and 11 from 32 video games in 2011 (0.34).

However, it’s one specific nook which is inflicting the most injury on this event: the in-swinger. That is the nook of selection for the groups having the most success from set performs. Of Sweden’s 20 corners, 19 have been in-swingers, both from Andersson on the proper or the right-footed Kosovare Asllani on the left. All 10 of Germany’s have been in-swingers; Ireland’s aim in opposition to Canada was an in-swinger from Katie McCabe that flew straight into the web.

The tactic, most often, appears very clear. Crowd the six yard field and attempt to drop the ball someplace in there. If delivered nicely, at worst it’s inflicting panic; at greatest, it’s headed dwelling or goes straight in. Andersson had nearly mirrored McCabe’s effort in Sweden’s opener in opposition to South Africa.

There are outliers. No group has had extra corners at the World Cup than Spain (34), however they, maybe on account of the profile of gamers of their squad, have opted for extra selection. Just 10 have been in-swingers. Only one in every of their eight objectives has come from a nook.

Sweden actually enlarge a pattern that could change into particularly decisive in the latter phases when video games change into tighter and the smaller particulars make the distinction. Against Italy, they had been really on the again foot for big elements of the first half. Then, with two swings of Andersson’s left boot, they had been capable of rating twice in the minutes main as much as the break, including a 3rd aim in stoppage time.

The feeling after the sport was that, if Andersson finds Ilestedt with such aplomb each time, Sweden’s corners are nearly un-defendable.

“Maybe,” Andersson laughed after the Italy sport when requested by ESPN if she felt like that was the case. “Of course, if you put three or four players on Amanda and try to push her into the goal. But I think if we continue to take [good corners] then we know we can score, even if it’s against a good defensive team. But, as I said before, if we see they block us there, then we need to do something else. It doesn’t matter who we face now, we can still score.”

Coach Gerhardsson mentioned what’s being seen at the World Cup is the results of quite a lot of exhausting work on the coaching pitch on the set pieces, a component of follow he says is just not at all times the most enjoyable.

Sweden dominated from begin to end in opposition to Italy 💪🇸🇪

Watch all FIVE objectives from Sweden’s massive win ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/X56So357Fc

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 29, 2023

“I have been putting in a lot of time to do corners and training hard to have good deliveries,” Andersson added. “I know we have a lot of good players in the box, so I need to deliver them well. It has been a lot of training. [My teammates] know that I can deliver the ball and I know they can score, so it’s a good connection we have. If I play the ball in that space, I know they can score.”

Ilestedt has been the nice beneficiary up to now. How many instances has she nodded in Andersson’s crosses in coaching?

“Many times, many times,” she advised ESPN. “We are working a lot with set pieces and also extra after training, I am working a little extra with Jonna. Apparently [it is paying off]. It feels good, the balls are coming when they should.”