Sweden will be in a familiar spot when they face Australia on Saturday in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup third-place match. The Swedes have finished third in three of their eight previous World Cup appearances. Now they'll face the co-hosts for that trophy again after a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Spain in Tuesday's semifinal. The Aussies lost 3-1 to England in their semifinal matchup Wednesday. The Matildas had reached the quarterfinals three times before making their first semifinal run this year, and they hope the partisan crowd at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane gives them an edge. Sweden are ranked third in the FIFA Women's World Ranking, while Australia rank 10th.
Kickoff is set for 4 a.m. ET on Saturday. The latest Sweden vs. Australia odds list Sweden as the +135 favorites on the 90-minute money line, with Australia priced at +185. A 90-minute draw is +230, and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you lock in your Australia vs. Sweden picks, make sure you check out the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup predictions from proven SportsLine soccer insider Jim Holliman.
Holliman has been a writer and editor for nearly 25 years and grew up with soccer in his blood. He played competitively through high school and has been following the game closely since the 1970's heyday of the North American Soccer League. His interest has expanded worldwide, and his betting approach is centered on crunching the numbers, but he sees the whole field and relies on his instinct.
Since the 2022 World Cup, Holliman has been profitable across multiple leagues, including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and Bundesliga. He went 21-10 -- bringing a profit of $1,147 for $100 bettors -- on his Champions League predictions last season.
Now, Holliman has broken down the Sweden vs. Australia matchup from every angle and just locked in his picks and Women's World Cup predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Australia vs. Sweden:
- Sweden vs. Australia spread: Sweden -0.5 (+140)
- Sweden vs. Australia over/under: 2.5 goals
- Sweden vs. Australia money line: Sweden +135, Australia +185, Draw +230
- SWE: The Swedes have a 39-24 advantage in goals over the past four World Cups
- AUS: The Matildas have scored 20 goals over their past nine official games (6-1-2)
- Sweden vs. Australia picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Sweden
The Swedes haven't let up in their previous third-place matches, winning the three by a combined score of 8-2. They beat host France 2-1 in the 2019 Women's World Cup third-place match. Sweden also have dominated their all-time matchups with Australia, going 9-4-2 against them, with a 27-14 advantage in goals. The Blue and Yellow are built on stout defense, but they have plenty of players who can score. Sweden have conceded just three goals over their six Women's World Cup matches. The Matildas, meanwhile, have conceded three goals in two of their games at this World Cup.
The match with Spain was devastating for the Swedes, but it was still an impressive performance. They didn't allow a shot on target until the final 10 minutes, with the first one going in to give La Roja the lead. Rebecka Blomqvist scored her third goal of the tournament to equalize, but Spain struck quickly on the counter-attack to win it. Still, the Swedes have played three of the best teams in the tournament in succession and beat two of them, including the defending champion USWNT. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back Australia
The Matildas will be disappointed in falling short of the final, but they have had their best World Cup showing on their home turf. They'll want to give the fans one last show. Sam Kerr is back, and the team's superstar and captain scored the goal to tie Wednesday's match with less than 30 minutes left. England pulled away late, but the Aussies hung tough with the world's fourth-ranked team. Sweden are third in FIFA's World Ranking, but they could be emotionally spent after falling short in devastating fashion in what might have been their best chance to finally claim a World Cup title.
Kerr is the nation's all-time leading scorer with 63 goals in 121 matches. Players like Hayley Raso stepped up as Kerr missed the first few games, and Raso has three goals in the tournament so far. Emily van Egmond got her 31st international goal and Caitlin Foord scored her 30th earlier in the tournament. Foord typically starts up top alongside 20-year-old Mary Fowler, who has 11 goals in just 42 international games. Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold has a tournament-best four clean sheets. See which team to pick here.
How to make Sweden vs. Australia picks
Holliman has broken down the Sweden vs. Australia match from every angle. He is going over 2.5 goals and has two other confident best bets, including a confident play on the winner of this FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 third-place match. He's only sharing his Women's World Cup picks and analysis at SportsLine.
So, who wins Australia vs. Sweden in Saturday's FIFA Women's World Cup match, and where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Sweden vs. Australia, all from the soccer expert who knows the sport inside and out, and find out.
