FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Sweden happy for centre-back Ilestedt to be leading its scoring

Sweden centre-back Amanda Ilestedt looms as an unlikely candidate to assert the Golden Boot on the Women’s World Cup nevertheless it comes as no shock to her teammates.

Ahead of Tuesday’s semifinal in opposition to Spain, Ilestedt has 4 targets for the event, one shy of the main Hinata Miyazawa, who can not add to her tally after Japan’s elimination by Sweden within the quarterfinals.

All of Ilestedt’s targets have come from set items, whereas eight out of Sweden’s 11 targets on the event have adopted dead-ball set-ups.

“I think set pieces is one our biggest strengths and something we work on,” Sweden captain Kosovare Asllani instructed reporters on Monday.

“I mean, Amanda is amazing, but we have so many players that are really good in the area. In the end, I don’t think anyone cares who’s the leading goal-scorer. The only thing we’re thinking about is winning games.”

Winger Fridolina Rolfo, who has two targets for the event, stated not many individuals would have anticipated Ilestedt to be Sweden’s prime scorer.

“But she’s an amazing player and she really deserves this,” she stated.

“And we all know how good she is heading the ball. And yes, set pieces, as Kosa (Asllani) said, it’s one of our strengths, so I’m not surprised. But at the same time, I’m happy for her.”

Bidding for its first World Cup title, Sweden will play its fifth semifinal on the international showpiece in opposition to a Spanish staff whose greatest at two earlier World Cups was the round-of-16.

Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson stated winger Sofia Jakobsson had very “mild symptoms of illness” however he anticipated all of his squad to be accessible for the conflict in opposition to Spain at Auckland’s Eden Park.

The winner will play co-host Australia or England within the ultimate.

Since taking on the staff in 2017, Gerhardsson has steered Sweden to the semifinals of each the 2019 World Cup in France and final 12 months’s European championship, the place it was eradicated by eventual champion England.

Asked if he was now used to teaching in main semifinals, Gerhardsson shrugged.

“I do feel, however, that it’s a wonderful new experience,” he instructed reporters.

“It’s only when you get into the actual game, that you can figure out what the situation is going to be like on the pitch. But we have a good feeling and it’s a completely new semifinal with new emotions, good feelings, about this.”