Slovakia will look to continue to prove its critics wrong when it takes on Sweden in both side's second UEFA Euro 2020 Group E matchup on Friday. Slovakia (1-0-0) entered the competition with the fourth-best odds to advance out of the group, but clearly bettered its chances with a 2-1 win over Poland on Monday. Sweden (0-0-1), which was missing key players due to injuries or COVID-19 protocols, opened Euro 2020 with a 0-0 draw with Spain. Sweden should be at or near full-strength entering this match.
Kickoff is set for 9 a.m. ET at Saint Petersburg Stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia. Sweden is listed as the -118 (risk $118 to win $100) favorite on the money line, while Slovakia is +380 and a draw would return +225 in the latest Sweden vs. Slovakia odds at William Hill Sportsbook, and the over-under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before making any Slovakia vs. Sweden picks, check out the UEFA Euro 2020 expert picks and predictions from SportsLine's Martin Green.
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After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since then, his European soccer picks have been spot-on. Green has generated nearly $19,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season. He's having a great Euro 2020 as well, with his picks generating over $500 in profit for $100 bettors through Wednesday's action. Green has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
Now, Green has set his sights on Sweden vs Slovakia at the 2020 Euro and revealed his best bets. You can only see those picks on SportsLine. Here are the betting lines and trends for Slovakia vs Sweden:
- Sweden vs. Slovakia spread: Sweden -0.5 (-120)
- Sweden vs. Slovakia over-under: 2.5 goals (over +150, under -180)
- Sweden vs. Slovakia money line: Sweden -118, Slovakia +380, Draw +225
- SWE: Is 7-4-1 in its last 12 matches dating back to October 2020
- SLO: Is 4-4-6 in its last 14 matches going back to last September
Why you should back Sweden
Although Spain dominated time of possession in the opener, Sweden had its chances with Marcus Berg and Alexander Isak missing opportunities. Isak, a forward, has been explosive at times for the Swedes, scoring six goals in 23 appearances for the national team. The 21-year-old registered 17 goals in 44 appearances for Real Sociedad in La Liga this past season. In 2019-20, he had 16 goals in 45 appearances, including nine in league play.
Also powering the Swedes is midfielder and vice-captain Sebastian Larsson, who has two goals in the past five matches, including a key score against Kosovo in a 3-0 win on March 28 in a 2022 World Cup qualifier. His most recent score came in a 2-0 win over Finland in a May 29 friendly. Larsson, 36, has 10 goals in 130 appearances for the national team. He has 63 goals in his career, which began in 2004-05.
Why you should back Slovakia
Slovakia pulled off a stunner in the opener by downing a heavily-favored Polish side, but will again face stiff competition against Sweden. Slovakia, however, has been on quite a roll since the start of the year, going 2-0-4 since March 24. Slovakia is 4-1-4 since defeating Northern Ireland 2-1 in UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying on Nov. 12. In a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Russia on March 30, Slovakia got goals from Milan Skriniar and Robert Mak to pull off a 2-1 victory.
Skriniar has been a big part of Slovakia's success. Besides scoring what proved to be the winning goal against Poland on Monday, he has registered three goals in the past five matches as a defender. The 26-year-old has played in 41 matches overall for Slovakia, scoring three goals. In his 10-year career he has played for four club teams, including Inter Milan of Serie A the past four seasons. In 306 career appearances, he has recorded 21 goals.
How to make UEFA Euro 2020 picks for Sweden vs. Slovakia
Green has analyzed Sweden vs. Slovakia from every possible angle and we can tell you he's going under on the goal total (2.5), and he's also two other best bets, including one that returns plus-money. He's only sharing those picks on SportsLine.
So who wins Sweden vs. Slovakia? And what are the best bets for Friday's Slovakia vs. Sweden matchup? Visit SportsLine now to see the top Sweden vs. Slovakia picks, all from the European soccer expert who has generated nearly $19,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season.
