Canada takes on Sweden in an elimination game in the 2019 Women's World Cup on Monday. Kickoff for the Round of 16 match is at 3 p.m. ET. Each team comes in ranked in the top 10, with Canada at No. 5 and Sweden at No. 9. Each team also finished second in its pool -- the Canadians took second to Netherlands with a 2-1 loss to the No. 8-ranked team, while the Swedes were second to the USWNT, with the lone blemish a 2-0 setback to the top-ranked Americans. The current Canada vs. Sweden odds have the Canadians as slim favorites at +155 to win (risk $100 to win $155), while Sweden is posted at +215 and a draw in regulation is +190. The over-under for total goals scored is two. These teams last faced off on March 6, a 0-0 draw in regulation before Canada won on penalty kicks. The stakes are much higher this time around, with second-ranked Germany looming in the quarterfinals, so before making any Canada vs. Sweden picks and 2019 Women's World Cup predictions of your own, you need to see what European football expert David Sumpter is saying about the game.
Sumpter is an applied mathematician and author of "Soccermatics," a book that explains how math works inside the sport. Along with other experienced analysts, Sumpter developed the powerful Soccerbot model.
The Soccerbot reads current odds and all team performance data, calculates key metrics and predicts upcoming matches. In the three seasons since its inception, Soccerbot is up an incredible 2,000 percent on Premier League picks. That's right -- 2,000 percent.
The model crushed its 2019 Women's World Cup group stage picks, returning a healthy profit to anyone following it. The model correctly predicted the stunning Japan-Argentina draw (+825) -- a more than 8-1 long shot -- and was all over Brazil beating Italy, Germany outlasting Spain, England topping Scotland and Australia's dramatic comeback win over Brazil.
Now, the model has its sights set on Canada vs. Sweden in the 2019 World Cup. We can tell you it's leaning under, but its much stronger play is on the money line, saying one side has all the value. You can see that selection exclusively at SportsLine.
The model knows Canada was undefeated in 2019 prior to last Thursday's 2-1 loss to Netherlands. The Canadians had given up a grand total of one goal the entire year, and those other outcomes weren't against lightweights, as nine of their opponents are ranked in the top 20 in the world.
Canada's defense is its strength, but it can also score. In fact, the team has four goals from four different players this World Cup. One of those is Christine Sinclair, the top Canadian women's soccer player of all-time. Sinclair, 36, is a 14-time Canada Soccer Player of the Year and the country's all-time leading scorer, male or female, with 182 international goals. Only retired USA star Abby Wambach (184) has more for her country.
But just because the Canadians have a tough defense and a veteran team doesn't mean they are the better value on the Canada vs. Sweden money line.
Sweden does not score in bunches, but teams facing them typically score less. Sweden has managed only 18 goals over its last 14 World Cup games. That said, the Swedes can score, evidenced by seven goals in three group stage matches. They came from six different players, including two from quick-striking forward Kosovare Asllani.
The defense is among the world's stingiest, led by goalie Hedvig Lindahl, who's competing in her fifth World Cup. She shut down Canada in March's scoreless draw. The Swedes have allowed five goals in their last seven matches, two of which came from No. 1 USA, two more from No. 2 Germany. Sweden won't be intimidated by the fifth-ranked Canadians, whom they beat 3-1 in 2018.
So who wins Canada vs. Sweden? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Canada vs. Sweden money line you need to be all over Monday, all from an expert who created a model that's returned a 2,000 percent profit on bookmakers' closing odds.
