Live streaming sweden vs south korea 18.6.2018

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Sweden v South Korea in Group E. These are two of the more likeable, inoffensive teams at any World Cup – so of course there’s been a spying controversy in the build-up. Right, enough of that, let’s proceed to the football. The common attitude before the first game of a World Cup is to make sure you don’t lose – but this is arguably a must-win game for both teams. Mexico’s win over Germany has disturbed the natural order of the group, and Sweden and South Korea are likely to feel the force of Germany’s reaction to that defeat. With Mexico already on three points and Germany likely to finish on six, even a draw today would leave Sweden and South Korea under a fair bit of pressure.

I’m getting ahead of myself, aren’t I? I don’t know why, at every World Cup, we mentally fill in the wallchart and are then surprised when every single match doesn’t go according to plan.

Let’s deal what has happened rather than what might happen. Sweden surprised the world, but probably not themselves, by beating Italy in a play-off to reach this tournament for the first time since 2006, while South Korea sneaked through ahead of Syria and Uzbekistan.

South Korea have enriched the World Cup in modern times, particularly in 1986, 1994 and 2002, but this doesn’t look like a vintage side. Mind you, you could say the same about Sweden. For the first time since 1992, they go into a tournament without Henrik Larsson or Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They are a decent team, but one without stars. You don’t need to spy on them to know that.